


iiilit 




Pass G^40 

Book < n, -S 

Coipght N?._ 



eOFiRlGHT BSP08i» 



Digitized by the Internet Archive 
in 2011 with funding from 
The Library of Congress 



http://www.archive.org/details/onboardrocketOOadam 



ON BOARD THE "ROCKET." 




BY 

ROBERT C. ADAMS. 



" Ships are but boards, sailors but men : there be land-rats 

and water-rats, water-thieves and land-thieves." 

— Merchant of Venice. 




BOSTON: 
D. LOTHROP AND CO.MPANY, 

FRANKLIN ST., COKNEB OF HAWLEY. 






copyright by 

Robert 0. Adams, 

1879. 



r 



PREFACE. 



ALL the incidents of this book are facts, occurring in the 
writer's own experience. In a few cases names have 
been altered, in accordance with his desire, neither to give 
offence to the living, nor to cast discredit upon the dead. He 
makes no apology for its imperfections ; for he issues it, not 
as a contribution to literature, but as a needed exposure of 
abuses on shipboard, which are too common, but too little 
known. He refers with diffidence to his own methods of 
discipline, believing that in the principles which prompted 
them, lie the means of promoting the interests and good 
repute of our Merchant Marine. 



(iii.) 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 



The Socket — The Cargo — Shipping the Crew — The Start — 
Rolling — Discomfort — Quiet — Gale — Storm Music — Disci- 
pline — Northeast Trades — * Aye ! Aye ! — Doldrums — Sharks 
— A Shark Story — Southeast Trades. 



CHAPTER II. 

A Saucy Sailor — Sailors' Treatment — An Easy Ship — Three 
Kinds of Discipline — A Good Run —Proving the Reckon- 
ing — Sea birds. 



CHAPTER III. 

The Voyage of the "Dublin"— Capt. Streeter— A Darkey Crew 
— No Profanity — The Mates — A Bully — A Tobacco Cargo — 
T. 



vi CONTENTS. 

Owner's Instructions — A Blower — No Sitting Down — 
Pomposity — Brass Knuckles — Flogging — The Third Mate 

— Beefing Topsails — Mr. Jones — A Smart Officer — The 
Brick-wall Theory — Beflections —Good Advice — Land, ho! 
— Porpoises — Mother Carey's Chickens — Captain and Mate 

— Land in Sight — Overheard — Gibraltar — Information — 
— Where Christ was horn — In the Mediterranean — Jake — 

— Gulf of Lyons — Genoa Bay — Quarantine — Discharging 
Cargo. 

CHAPTEB IV. 

The Voyage of the "Dublin" concluded — Genova La Superba— 
Leave of Absence — On Shore in Italy — Loading Marble — 
Mates' Opinions about Driving Sailors Ashore — Women in 
Ships — Anchor at Gibraltar — Through the Straits — Pumps 
Choked — How to Clinch Buntlines — Cleaning the Spittoon 

— A Sleepy Officer's Danger — Holystones — Beating a Boy 
— Officers' Ambition — Eternal Vigilance — Old Jenkings — 
A Breeze Aloft — The Pilot's Bebuff— Blood Tubs — Paying 
Off — Promotion — The Mate and the Owner. 



CHAPTEB V. 

John Shephard — My Model Sailor — Christmas — Ode to the 
Rocket — Grub — Doubtful Islands — Becalmed off Java — 
Officers' Yarns — Off Java Head — Narrow Escape — A Float- 
ing Light. 



CHAPTER VI. 

Life in the East Indies — Carimata Passage — Singapore — Thre6 
Months' Extra Pay. 



CONTENTS. . vii. 

CHAPTER VII. 

Penang — Penang Hill — Nearly Wrecked — Deliverance — "West 
Coast of Sumatra — Padang — Padang Thieves — Padang 
Church — Malay Ordination — Padang Drives — Natives — 
Captain Blowhard — Insolence. 



CHAPTER VIII. ' 

Another Voyage in the " Dublin" — Second Mate — Mr. Howard's 
Grievances — Mr. Howard Leaves — Leaking — The New 
Mate — Second Mates' Duties — Ships' Work — Squalls — 
Old Harry — At the Fore-truck — Amsterdam — Dutchmen 

— The Captain's Relapse — Worrying the Second Mate — 
Dreams — A Growl — A Cabin Conference — An Irish Sailor 

— Two Finnish Sailors. 



CHAPTER IX. 

Another Voyage in the "Dublin" concluded — A North Sea 
Gale — The Lee Shore — In Distress — Good-bye to Old 
Harry — Captain's Tarns — Bullies — Gothenburg — A nother 
Start — Decks Swept — Stopping the Leak — Hurrying the 
Crew — A Hard Life — A Freezing Gale — A False Bearing 
— Weatherwise — Leaving the " Dublin " — Mr. Wright's 
Letter — Capt. Streeter's End. 



CHAPTER X. 

Land Again — The "Flying Dutchman" — A Cape of Good 
Hope Gale — Gales — Rolling Down to St. Helena — Watch 
and Watch — Tarring Down — Sailors' Growls — Sailors' 
Opinions — Discontent in the Cabin — Ills of Sea Life. 



viii. CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER XI. 

Sailors' Resources — The Tar Barrel — A "Wild Ship — Board- 
ing a Vessel — Ready for Port. 

CHAPTER XII. 

Sailors' Songs — Bully or Coax — Treatment of Sailors — 
Schooner " Jane " — A Mackerel Shower — Fog on the Coast 
— Taking a Pilot — Arrived — Paying off — Scraping Belay- 
in s, Pins. 



"Once more upon the waters, yet once more! 

And the waves hound beneath me, as a steed 

That knows his rider." 

— Byron' 's Childe Harold- 

"Who would not sell a farm and eo to sea ? " — Sailor Proverb. 



ON BOARD THE "ROCKET." 



CHAPTER I. 

IN" Lloyds Register is recorded : — " Rocket, Bk. 
384, 135, 25, 16.5, 1851, Medford, W. O., icf.," 
which being interpreted means, Bark Rocket, 
384 toDS, 135 feet long, 25 feet beam, 16| feet 
depth of hold, built in 1851, at Medford, of white 
oak, with iron and copper fastenings. To which 
ma}' be added, that she was a well known trader 
to the East Indies, being called in those ports "the 
green bark," on account of being painted a dark 
green, or what the painters style tea color. .She 
was a good looking vessel, neatly finished about 
the decks, and the masts and yards were all scraped 
bright. The- chief peculiarity was that she was 
narrow in proportion to her length, being com- 
pared by an old sailor to " a plank set on edge." 
This caused her to be reputed, and not unde- 
servedly, a crank vessel, and many a gloomy 
croaker has uttered the foreboding that like her 
sister ship, the " Dauntless," she would go to sea 
sometime — never to return. Yet for many years 

13 



14 OF BOABD THE EOCKET. 

she had gone and come, and though occasionally 
threatening to capsize, she had never really per- 
formed this undesirable manoeuvre. The builder 
and the subsequent owner were two of the most 
practical merchants of Boston. She must there- 
fore have been well put together and properly 
cared for, as there was truth in the remark made, 

that "what Nat G , and Dick B didn't 

know about a ship wasn't worth knowing." 

The Rochet was lying at Central "Wharf in 
Boston, loading a cargo for the East Indies. Bar- 
rels of beef, pork, tar and pitch were stowed in 
the bottom ; then followed in miscellaneous order, 
lumber, sewing machines, kerosene oil, flour, bis- 
cuits, preserves, ice pitchers, carriages, oars and 
many other articles. 

As the sailing day drew near, the important mat- 
ter of choosing officers and crew had to be consid- 
ered. The first person who applied was an aspirant 
to the mate's berth. 

" How long have you been to sea ? " was asked. 

" Thirty years." 

" Why ! how old are you ? " 

"Twenty-nine." 

" How do you make that out ? " 

" Oh, I was born and bred at sea." 

He was thought to be too old a sailor for a 
young captain to manage, and was not engaged. 
Soon a young man applied, with more modest 



THE CREW. 15 

demeanor, and he was secured. The rest of the 
crew were soon picked out. Wishing to choose 
for myself who should sail with me for so many 
months, the shipping master was told to send on 
board any good men who applied to him, giving 
the preference to Norwegians and Swedes, these 
being, in my opinion, both in seamanship and docil- 
ity, the best class of sailors that man our vessels. 
Germans and Scotchmen he was told to favor next, 
then Englishmen, and lastly Irishmen, for these, 
though often capital seamen, do not as readily as 
some others endure privations without grumbling, 
and are too strong republicans to be always sub- 
missive subjects of a despotic government such as; 
that of shipboard. American sailors unfortunately 
are not often in the choice. They are soon pro- 
moted from the forecastle, if they enter it, or else 
after short service find they can do better on shore, 
than by leading a dog's life at sea. 

One afternoon in September all the crew were 
mustered on board. Captarh Jack Frost came 
alongside with his tug boat, and his cheery voice 
hailed, " Are you all ready, Cap. ? Pass out your 
lines ! " The owner said, " Good-by," and mov- 
ing towards his yacht, added, " I'm going to give 
you a race down the harbor." The fasts were cast 
off, the bark was tugged out into the stream ; then 
with topsails set before a strong nor'wester she 
showed the towboat the advisability of getting out 
of her way. We should have thought she was 



16 ON BOAED THE BOCKET. 

sailing fast, had not the yacht " Vesta " overtaken 
us, crossed our bow, and boomed away down Broad 
Sound, under jib and mainsail. Just inside of 
Boston light we rounded to and let the pilot get 
into the canoe from the station pilot boat ; then, 
filling away, the course was shaped for Cape Cod 
and the voyage had begun. The anchors being 
secured, the topgallantsails were loosed, and leav- 
ing all the accompanying fleet astern, away we sped, 
ten knots an hour, and in four hours passed the 
Race Light. 

The crew numbered eight men and two boys 
before the mast, a cook, cabin boy, two mates and 
captain, fifteen all told, besides one passenger, a 
young gentleman travelling for health. Owing to 
the late hour in the day at which we sailed, the 
men had taken several parting glasses with their 
friends, and some were inclined to be troublesome. 
The officers managed judiciously and kept them 
quiet, but the mate remarked, ho thought we had 
" a pretty hard crew." The watches were chosen 
and the port watch sent below at eight o'clock, 
in accordance with the old maxim " the master 
takes her out and the mate brings her home." By 
this rule the watch variously known as the second 
mate's, starboard, or captain's watch, takes eight 
hours on deck the first night outward bound, and 
the mate's, or port watch, does the same the first 
night of the homeward bound passage. 

The wind had drawn more northerly, becoming 



KOLLWG. 17 

rather " scant " for a course north of George's 
Shoal, so we squared away clown South Channel. 
Being right before wind and sea, the bark, having 
a large proportion of her heavy cargo in the lower 
hold, began to roll most distressingly. She seemed 
to nearly dip each rail alternately in quick succes- 
sion. As the night wore on it grew worse and 
worse, every drawer slid out in the state-rooms, the 
doors of lockers swung open, their contents got 
adrift, kegs of paint took to rolling, the turpentine- 
can upset, scenting the air, and the pantry floor 
showed a medley of tin ware, crockery, brooms, 
edibles and sundry " small stores " engaged in 
kaleidoscopic performances. After getting some 
of these things secured more firmly than had been 
possible in the haste of their reception, the weary 
skipper went to his bed, but not to sleep. The 
berth was fore-and-aft and he rolled from side to 
side with every motion. Then, in distraction, he 
removed to the transom sofa running 'thwartships 
across the cabin, and here he slipped up and down, 
standing now on his feet and then on his head. 
O, the miseries of that night ! The close cabin, 
the smoky oil-lamp, the smell of turpentine and 
the quick, incessant motion created suggestions of 
sea sickness, even to a veteran mariner. The mind 
sympathized with the body, and thus the captain 
reflected: — " O, what a fool I am to go to sea, 
there are the beautiful home, the spacious rooms, 
the comfortable and steady bed, the beloved family 



18 OK BOABD THE EOCKET. 

circle. What have I done ? Renounced them all 
for a year. For what ? To be shut up in this 
dismal den, with a crowd of rude vagabonds, de- 
prived of everything, that makes life enjoyable, 
and visited with everything to make it miserable. 
Only let me set foot on shore again and you'll 
never catch me on board of a ship." 

The morning light was welcome and George's 
Shoals being well cleared, the vessel's course was 
altered to the eastward, bringing the wind more 
on the side and steadying her movements. This is 
one of the pleasures of sea life, the cessation of 
motion. " Then are they glad because they be 
quiet." But as sea-life originates the evil, it 
deserves no credit for the temporary relief. The 
breeze moderated and we made easy progress, 
while the crew were busily at work stowing 
anchors and chains, putting on chafing gear, and 
making the various preparations for a long voy- 
age. A pilot boat came under our stern to satisfy 
her curiosity as to our identity. As she disap- 
peared, we felt that our last friend on American 
shores had left us, and we set our faces resolutely 
towards the regions beyond. The next clay the 
weather became threatening. Though October 
had set in, no gale had yet occurred fit to be 
named " the equinoctial storm," therefore, one was 
considered due by all who believed in that old- 
fashioned institution. A gale did come, but its 
connection with the equinox was not clearly estab- 



GALE. 19 

lislied. It blew fiercely enough, however, to de- 
serve that respectable title, and forced the vessel 
to lie to under a close-reefed maintopsail, which 
finally had to be " goosewinged " (one side of it 
furled.) The mate went aloft himself to encourage 
the crew in braving the storm. For two hours it 
blew with almost hurricane violence, or as the mate 
•expressed it, " a perfect screamer," and we began 
to fear we should not escape unharmed, as the seas 
were getting very " ugly." But the Rochet lay to 
safely and behaved splendidly. All night the 
wind held on with violence, but at daybreak it 
began to moderate and we escaped with no other 
damage than splitting a jib and foretopmast stay- 
sail. 

A gale of wind at night is a sublime, though 
fearful, scene. The ship plunges wildly in the 
darkness, and skies and waters are equally black, 
only relieved by the foaming crests of the moun- 
tain waves. But perhaps the most impressive feat- 
ure is the music of the gale, nature's grand organ, 
or, if any prefer the simile, its bagpipe. The sub- 
bass of the storm, as it sweeps over the waves 
against the hull and through the lower rigging of 
the ship, forms the great volume of sound, and 
above, in constantly changing variety, come shrieks, 
screams, wailings and whistlings of every pitch 
and intensity, sounding from aloft as the wind 
drives through sheave-holes, against the small rig- 
ging, and into cracks in the spars. Few listen to 



20 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

these sounds without an impression of awe or even 
dread, and many a brave heart, which scarcely 
knows the meaning of the word fear, has felt a 
thrill and shudder as the discordant screams and 
howlings of the midnight gale unite with the roar- 
ing and dashing of the breaking waves. 

For the next three days we tumbled about in 
the subsiding waves, and experienced the most un- 
pleasant part of a storm, which is not positively 
dangerous. The excitement and touch of romance 
pertaining to the gale have gone. The disagree- 
able motion,, as the ship, not steadied by the force 
of the wind, is tossed to and fro on the waves, 
which the gale leaves to testify of its vehemence, 
causes much discomfort. Then we "reel to and 
fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at our 
wits end " how to maintain composure of mind, 
amidst so much bodily disquietude. 

At the commencement of the voj^age, I took 
the first opportunity to call the officers together 
on the poop-deck, and privately instruct them in 
my ideas of discipline. 

This was the drift of my remarks : 

For some years past I haA^e made it a rule that 
there shall be no cursing or blows used or given on 
board of my ship. In saying this, I do not mean 
that I wish sailors to be allowed to do as they like, 
or that I do not wish good discipline maintained. 
I have sometimes had to reprove officers for curs- 
ing the men and throwing belaying pins at them, 



DISCIPLINE. 21 

and they seemed to feel that I had curtailed their 
rights. With a vindictive spirit, disguised by an 
air of injured innocence, they then neglected their 
duty and made no effort to keep the crew in proper 
order, saying, "If the old man doesn't care, I'm 
sure I don't." Let me tell you my plan of keep- 
ing discipline. 

When we start on a voyage the crew generally 
come on board more or less under the influence of 
liquor. Some of them are all ready for a fight 
and do their best to bring it on. If you choose to 
have a row, it is the easiest thing in the world to 
find opportunity for it, and you know how fre- 
quently the occasion is seized, and the ship's deck 
is stained with blood before she is clear of the land. 
Now at the start, I say, Shut your eyes and ears to 
instances of personal disrespect, and do not use 
force to exact the performance of duty, unless as 
a last resort when the interests of the ship posi- 
tively require it. As soon as you can spare men 
from work, get into their bunks those who are so 
drunk as to be troublesome and let them sleep 
themselves sober. You will often, or indeed gen- 
erally, find that these are the best " sailor men " in 
the ship. It was the rum that made the trouble, 
and I believe the only successful way of fighting 
rum is to attack it before it gets inside of men. 
Drunken men are more easily controlled than we 
think, but it requires tact to deal with them, and, 
above all, kindness. I had a sailor last voyage 



22 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

who was roaring about the deck, brimful of fight, 
using his insolence to gain a chance to work it off. 
I stepped up to him, and he straightened back to 
return the expected blow. To his evident sur- 
prise I just laid my hand upon his shoulder, and 
in a kind but decided tone said, " My man, you go 
to your bunk." He fired up, and said in a saucy 
way, " Do jou mean to say I can't do my duty? " I 
replied, " We don't need you just now, you'll feel 
better after }^ou've had a nap, and we will call you 
to turn to just as soon as we want you." " All 
right, sir," he growled, in a disappointed sort of 
.way, and tumbled into the forecastle. The next 
morning he appeared on deck as quiet and civil as 
any body, and during the voyage, after he got 
over a touch of the horrors, he proved to be the 
best sailor-man on board, and was always as re- 
spectful as I could wish. There are many vessels 
where he would have been off duty a week with 
a broken head, and then have needed a second 
thrashing to take the ugliness out of him. 

After we are fairly at sea things generally go 
on smoothly for about a fortnight and then the 
sailors begin to try experiments, to feel their 
officers' disposition, test their strictness, and decide 
how much liberty they can take. The first sign of 
this is the neglect to give an answer to orders, or 
omitting the word " Sir " from their reply. They 
watch to see if this is noticed, and if it is not, 



DISCIPLINE. 23 

they advance to other liberties, and the inch being 
granted they very soon take the ell. 

When you find this state of things beginning, 
and a man ceases to give a respectful answer, 
check him for it in a manly way, and give him to 
understand that such things will not be allowed on 
board of this vessel. Do not curse him, nor strike 
him, nor threaten him in a way to make him ugly, 
but rather seek while maintaining your authority 
to give an impression of its justice. If he contin- 
ues to repeat his offence after this, then punish 
him for it, by keeping him up in his watch below, 
by giving him disagreeable work, by stationing him 
aloft in the night, or by any little requirement, 
which will make him feel that he is controlled and 
compelled to do something against his will. If 
this fails to subdue him, after a patient trial of it, 
(for it is not to be supposed that every unruly 
spirit is to be conquered in a moment,) the thing 
to be done next is to report him to the captain. 
He is the only one to whom the law gives power 
to inflict punishment. If you undertake to use 
force you are in clanger of prosecution when you 
arrive in port, and you are well aware that our 
courts are very jealous for the sailor's rights. 
The captain should then take the matter up and 
adopt such measures of correction as, in his judg- 
ment, the case requires. Very often a simple re- 
proof from him will be all that is necessary, as 
showing his decided espousal of his officers' cause, 



24 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

and determination to stand by them. When this 
is proved, Jack will be apt to give in, but in an 
obstinate case irons may be the necessaiy resort. 

Of course I don't wish to be annoyed with the 
report of every little misdemeanor or sign of in- 
subordination ; but when you fail to suppress them 
by the means I have referred to, then let me know 
about it. If you will adopt this course, although 
at first it may be too slow a method for you, I will 
promise you that when we reach home you will 
say you never got more work out of a crew, and 
never made a passage in which you took so much 
comfort, or which you remembered with so great 
satisfaction. 

We gave the crew watch and watch, and Satur- 
day afternoon was allowed them for mending and 
washing clothes. Sunday at 9 A.M. services were 
held in the cabin. Attendance was not compul- 
sory, but as a rule all hands were present, except 
the man at the wheel and the officer of the deck. 
We made tolerable runs down to lat. 30° N., 
which we crossed in Ion. 40° W., eleven days out ; 
but here for a few days the "horse latitudes" 
assailed us with their calms. We whistled for the 
wind, wondered how Job would have acted if he 
had ever been becalmed, tried hard to be patient, 
and thought we were at the threshold of success, 
when at last the wind settled at the eastward. A 
steady freshening breeze proved we had got the 
northeast trades, and the log line, as it marked 



FORTH-EAST TRADES. 25 

nine knots over the taffrail, enabled us to be pa- 
tient without further effort. 

Running along by the wind at the rate of eight 
and nine knots an hour, with a regular sea that 
gave only a pleasing motion to the vessel, and a 
blue sky enlivened by the swiftly flying, fleecy 
trade-wind clouds, we understood the reality of 
" the romance of the sea." Flying-fish continually 
darted out from under the ship's bow, the beauti- 
ful fleet dolphins ran races, constantly beating us 
and coming back to try it again, the fat, puffing 
porpoises occasionally tumbled across our hawse 
and went snorting off to windward ; the sea was 
strewn with patches of gulf-weed, and Mother 
Carey's chickens tripped about amongst it as 
though afraid of wetting their feet while searching 
for food. There was always something to see, and 
life was never monotonous. 

About this time I noticed that the first signs of 
the relaxing of discipline were beginning to appear, 
in the occasional neglect of the sailors to answer 
when spoken to. 1 watched to see if the mates 
attempted to correct it, as I desired they should 
control the men in minor matters, and I was re- 
lieved soon by hearing the mate call out, " Why 
don't you answer when I speak to you? " A brief 
" growl " followed, but the sailor, a Swede named 
Peterson gave in, declared he meant no disrespect 
and intended to do his duty. 

The next thing that occurred in the matter of 



26 ON" BOABD THE ROCKET. 

discipline was, that one night I heard " Old Brown " 
reply, " Aye ! aye ! " to an order from the second 
mate, omitting the word " Sir." This is considered 
a great breach of ship etiquette ; trivial as it seems, 
I was annoyed that the second mate took no notice 
of it. The next day I spoke to both parties separ- 
ately about it, and the sailor professed to be utterly 
unconscious of his omission. He received a brief 
lecture and gave all desirable promises of respectful 
behavior, and "Sirs" were very clear and distinct 
for a while. The sailors seeing that the}' - were 
kept up to the mark in these little matters, natur- 
ally concluded that they would not be allowed to 
do as they liked in greater concerns, and the routine 
of watch and watch went on harmoniously and 
efficiently. 

When twenty days out we found ourselves 
within seven degrees of the line, but here the 
trades left us, and for nearly a fortnight the " dol- 
drums " raged. The bark drifted about with light 
airs from the southward, dead ahead, or else lay 
like a log on the glassy sea, rolling lazily with the 
swell, her sails slatting and spars creaking at every 
roll. 

- An officer of a ship must have good nerves to be 
able to endure with patience that dreadful slatting 
and creaking, even had he no interest in the prog- 
ress of the vessel; but to one earnestly desirous of 
making a quick passage, as is usually the case with 
the captain, the doldrums are the severest test of 




Calm continues ! Utter disgust ! I Captain's growl, '• a sea life should be 
avoided and execrated by all sensible men It is an utter stagnation of intel- 
lect and heart and only develops hatred towards our fellow men and murmur- 
ing at God's Providence, I have tried it from beginning to end and I solemn- 
ly and deliberately pronounce it — a dog's life." 



DOLDRUMS. 29 

disposition that can be applied. As he walks the 
quarter-deck, whistling through his teeth, search- 
ing in all corners of the horizon for signs of a 
breeze, he discovers in the distance a rippling of 
the water. It gradually comes nearer the vessel 
and greets her with a gentle air. The captain 
orders all sail to be set, and the canvas swells out 
to the wind ; the rudder stops its thumping, the 
water begins to gurgle in the wake, and the cap- 
tain, watching the rate of speed as he leans over the 
lee-quarter, exclaims, "That's the breeze! go it, 
old boat ! good-by to the doldrums ! " But the 
wind lessens ; there comes an ominous slat of the 
spanker, and a jingling of the sheet blocks that 
strikes dismay to the " old man's " heart. He starts 
up to windward, looks for the breeze and finds it 
to be but a catspaw. After the sails have flapped 
about for a few minutes, if belonging to a certain 
class of men, the captain in savage tones orders the 
courses hauled up, the spanker lowered and jibs 
and staysails hauled down. Then he throws his 
hat on deck and jumps on top of it, cursing every- 
thing " from an inch high and a year old upwards." 
He now casts his eye aloft and snarls out at the 
mate, "Why don't you keep those gaskets made 
up ; nobody seems to care anything for the ship, 
she would go to destruction if it wasn't for me." 
The mate gives an order to a sailor, and as in the 
heat and dullness of the time he is not dis- 
posed to move very briskly, the angered mate 



30 ON BOAED THE BOCKET. 

vents his spleen by a curse or opprobrious epithet. 
Perhaps a fight follows, or merely a war of words; 
the rest of the crew become disaffected ; at dinner- 
time they go to the galley and growl at the cook for 
not giving them more or better grub ; and so from 
stem to stern of the ship, bitterness, wrath, anger, 
clamor, evil speaking, with all malice abound. 

In the centre of this doldrum region clouds and 
heavy rains prevail. Torrents sometimes fall so 
continuously that the surface water becomes sensi- 
bly freshened. The great " cloud belt " overhangs 
this region of gloom. The air is sultry and oppres- 
sive, making the body weary and the spirit de- 
pressed. I believe no region on the surface of 
the globe sends to the Ear above such a volume of 
murmurings, blasphemies and strife. 

Concerning this place Lieut. Maury quotes from 
the journal of Commodore Sinclair: "This is cer- 
tainly one of the most unpleasant regions in our 
globe. A dense, close atmosphere, except for a 
few hours after a thunder-storm, during which 
time torrents of rain fall, when the air becomes a 
little refreshed; but a hot, glowing sun heats it 
again, and but for your awning and the little air 
put in circulation by the continual flapping of the 
ship's sails it would be almost insufferable. No 
person who has not crossed this region can form an 
adequate idea of its unpleasant effects. You feel 
a degree of lassitude unconquerable, which not 
even the sea-bathing which everywhere else proved 



DOLDRUMS. 31 

so salutary and renovating can dispel. Except 
when in actual danger of shipwreck I never spent 
twelve more disagreeable days. 

"I crossed the line and soon found I had sur- 
mounted all the difficulties consequent to that 
event; that the breeze continued to freshen and 
draw round to the south south-east, bringing with 
it a clear sky and most heavenly temperature, 
renovating and refreshing beyond description. 
Nothing was now to be seen but cheerful counte- 
nances, exchanged as by enchantment from that 
sleepy sluggishness which had borne us all down 
for the last two weeks." Maury himself says of 
it : " Besides being a region of calms and baffling 
winds it is a region noted for its rains and clouds 
which make it one of the most oppressive and 
disagreeable places at sea. The emigrant ships 
from Europe to Australia have to cross it. They 
are often baffled in it for two or three weeks ; then 
the children and the passengers who are of delicate 
health suffer most. It is a frightful graveyard on 
the waj^side to that golden land." 

The memory of days, nights and weeks repeated 
at intervals through many years, when disappoint- 
ment, depression, vexation and sadness have been 
my companions, impel me to heap up testimony 
against this dreadful place, the dark valley of the 
waters. Far more cheerful to the sailor are the 
roaring gales of Cape Horn than the sluggish, 
damp, provoking airs of the Doldrums. 



32 ON" BOARD THE ROCKET. 

But there is sometimes mirth in the Doldrums, 
and one afternoon the capture of a shark gave us 
diversion and amusement. A dead calm prevailed ; 
not a ripple stirred the water, and the dull, sluggish 
swells of the sea looked like furrows of polished 
steel. A sailor aloft spying a shark alongside gave 
the information to the deck. The shark moved 
slowly around the vessel, and as he passed under 
the stern, the second mate threw the harpoon from 
the taffrail and drove it right through his body. 
A vast amount of» splashing ensued, and it was 
with great difficulty a slip-noose was thrown over 
his tail. This being jammed tight he was drawn on 
board, tail first, by the rope. His motions on deck 
were very violent, but a vigorous application of 
handspikes quieted him somewhat, and he was 
drawn forward to the main hatch and butchered. 
It seemed impossible to kill him. After his head 
and tail were cut off and all his entrails extracted, 
the body still thrashed about so as to make the 
sailors jump clear of it. I took his back bone for 
a cane, the carpenter appropriated the skin for sand 
paper, and the cook begged for a little ball in his 
head that he could " sell to the doctors on shore 
for a quarter, it being fust rate for medicine." 
Many were the theories, abusive remarks and jokes 
indulged in around this fallen enemy of the sailors. 
His long life was said to be owing to the fact that 
sharks never died till sunset. The best joke was 
Murphy's, who had been in the army, who said 







A rain squall in the Doldrums. 



SHAKKS. 35 

" He'd make a good Northern soldier, he's so long 
dying," The common theory, that a breeze always 
follows the killing of a shark, made everybody 
more light-hearted, and the expectation was ful- 
filled after awhile. 

That evening the usual yarn-spinning went on 
around the booby-hatch, and among the shark- 
stories that were related was the following by the 
mate, given in his words as nearly as they can be 
remembered. It was intended especially for the 
passenger's enlightenment, but I overheard it : 

" I once made a voyage in the ship "Laguna "' from 
Boston to Cadiz and back with a cargo of salt. 
Coming home we had a Cuban planter and his son, 
a bo\ r of nineteen, as passengers. The boy was 
always whistling, and our mate, who was a regular 
old sea-dog, who hated to hear whistling, except in 
a calm when it would help to raise the wind, kept 
prophesying that the nightingale, as he called the 
boy, would be sure to bring some bad luck. One 
day, when a heavy swell was running, but the 
wind had nearly died away, a large shark came up 
in our wake and followed the ship. The boy was 
leaning over the taffrail watching the shark, and 
his father was walking up and down the poop deck 
with his pocket-knife in his hand, whittling a stick. 
The ship suddenly gave a heavy pitch and the 
boy lost his balance and tumbled overboard. He 
screamed as he fell, and the father gave another 
yell and jumped overboard after him. There was 



36 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

a pretty kettle of fish then. The main yard was 
thrown aback, though the ship wasn't making 
much headway, and everything handy about decks 
was tossed overboard — gratings, life-buoys, and 
planks. Most everybody threw something, and 
the carpenter, who was a stupid muff of a fellow, 
wanted to do his share towards the rescue, so he 
picked up his grindstone and threw that overboard. 
The passengers disappeared immediately, and as 
nothing could be seen of them from aloft it was 
useless to get out a boat. We filled away again 
with sad feelings, and the old mate said Nightingale 
might whistle the whole passage if he would only 
come back. In a little while the captain spied a 
shark under the stern. He got the shark-hook 
and put a big junk of salt pork on it, and soon the 
shark took hold. We slipped a running bowline 
around his tail and hauled him on deck. After 
we had smashed his head with handspikes we cut 
him open, and there we found the man, the boy 
and the grindstone. The boy was turning the 
grindstone and his father was sharpening his knife 
in order to cut a hole in the shark to get out of. 
They were greatly astonished to find themselves 
on our deck again, and the father said it was little 
short of a miracle." 

It is hard to tell how a vessel ever escapes from 
this doldrum region ; but by using her chances, 
constantly spreading her wings to every fitful 
breath and gaining a little day .by day, she at last 



SOUTH-EAST TRADES. 37 

strikes an air that is not a catspaw.- It gradually 
increases, and soon is pronounced, to be the S. E. 
trades. Such was our lot when we reached lat. 
3° N., and the day after, we sailed swiftly across 
the line in Ion. 31° 30', thirty-four days out. Pass- 
ing to windward of the Island of Fernando Nor- 
onha, we sped along through the most charming 
region of the sea, that of the south-east trades in 
the South Atlantic. 



CHAPTER II. 



A SATJCY SAILOR. 



ONE night in the Trades, while the mate's 
watch were bracing the yards, I heard the 
sound of angry voices on deck. The next morn- 
ing I asked the mate if he had any trouble with 
any one in the middle watch. 

He replied : " I had some words with Peterson, 
that's all, sir." 

" What was the matter ? " 

The mate answered : " For some time back 
Peterson has been slack about giving an answer. 
I didn't want to check him before the men, for he 
has become religious this passage, and some of the 
men are down on him about it. If I growled at 
him, the men would have another handle on him ; 
so, after we got through bracing, I called him one 
side and told him I wished he would be more par- 

33 



A SAUCY SATLOE. 39 

ticular about giving an answer. I thought that 
was treating him pretty kindly ; I never conde- 
scended to do as much for a sailor before, but he 
got mad about it and was saucy. I gave him some 
strong talk, and it was all I could do to keep my 
hands off him. He says he is going to complain 
to you about my imposing on him. They say 
for'ard he is crazy, and I most thought so myself 
last night. I got excited and threatened to knock 
him down if he didn't shut up ; but all the time 
he talked religion. Said he, " You can strike me 
if you like ; I've got all over fighting now ; if you 
hit me on one cheek I'll turn the other to you." 

Peterson had the wheel that forenoon from 
eight to ten o'clock, and when I went up on the 
poop-deck he said, " Will you allow me to speak to 
you, sir." " No," I replied, " I am going to speak 
to you," and I gave him a sharp reproof for giving 
the mate " back answers." His feelings were 
very much hurt. I perceived the cause of his be- 
havior to be erroneous ideas upon religious mat- 
ters. He had led a wild life and always sailed in 
rough ships, and at the commencement of the voy- 
age he was greatly impressed by the treatment 
adopted, and by the instructions given at our Sun- 
day service. He professed to have been converted 
when a fortnight out, and had ever since been very 
zealous in exhorting his shipmates. One remark 
showed the whole trouble. He said to me, " Now 
that we are Christian brethren we are all equal and 



40 ON" BOARD THE ROCKET. 

we ought to get along easily together." He evi- 
dently thought this sentiment should level . the 
inequality of our stations, and there should natur- 
ally follow a relaxing of discipline, and more famil- 
iar treatment. Afterwards I called him below. 
He dropped his cap outside the door, and we sat 
down at the cabin table. I spoke to him about 
our difference as fellow Christians, and as captain 
and sailor, saying, "If you should insult me on 
shore, I should take no notice of it whatever, but 
if you do so on board of my ship, while personally 
I forgive you, yet as master of the ship I am 
obliged to resent it, for the sake of discipline. 
Suppose a man struck me in the street, to throw 
contempt upon me as a religious man, why then ] 
would turn the other cheek to him ; but if, when 
I entered my house, my boy should strike me in 
the face, I would punish him for it, because I con' 
sider it a christian duty to rule my own house well 
and keep my children in subjection. Just so on 
board ship it is my duty to be faithful to the 
owner's interests, and to guard the trusts com- 
mitted to me, subject of course to the spirit of 
Christ's teachings. These interests require that 
there should be good discipline in the ship, and 
therefore the mate does right to notice any disre- 
spect that is shown him." 

A clay or two after this, Peterson said to me at 
the wheel, " I've been thinking over what you said 
to me. I see that I was wrong, and it sha'n't 



sailors' treatment . 41 

happen again." For the remaining ten months of 
the voyage no one had a word of complaint against 
Peterson, and his influence over his shipmates was 
most excellent. 

In the evening after this occurrence, when the 
mate came aft at eight o'clock to relieve the sec- 
ond officer, we began talking about the affair. 

" There is one thing," said the mate, " that I 
haven't quite settled yet, and that is whether you 
can treat sailors well or not. At any rate, if a 
man is a Christian he had better not go on board 
of a ship as officer. I feel so mad sometimes I'd 
like to slaughter the whole watch." 

I replied, " It's a matter that I settled a long 
time ago. You cannot treat a sailor well without 
his taking some advantage of it. Inferiors will 
presume upon a kind disposition in their superiors, 
all the world over. It is human nature. I made 
up my mind to that in the very beginning. But 
there is another question. Is it best to treat 
sailors well, all things considered ? As a matter 
of principle there can of course be but one 
answer : — Christ's teachings entirely settle that. 
A divine precept must be of universal application ; 
there can be no exceptions, and if sea life were 
proved to be a sphere where Christ's commands 
could not be obeyed, it would also be condemned 
as an occupation no one could follow guiltlessly. 
As a question of policy there seem to be different 
opinions, though whatever is good principle must 



42 OX BOARD THE ROCKET. 

be good policy. I say most decidedly it is best ; 
best for the ship, for the owners, for the officers, 
and of course best for the men themselves. It is 
very poor policy to make sailors the enemies of 
the ship. How many vessels have been set fire to 
by an enraged crew ! How many spars and sails 
have been lost, because, just out of spite, a sailor 
neglected to report the first stage of an accident 
which he alone observed in a dark night ! How 
many ships have remained in port for weeks after 
they were loaded, because they had so bad a repu- 
tation no one would go in them, and • they only 
sail at last with a kidnapped crew ! How much 
running gear has been cut, and how many sails 
ripped with sheath knives on the night of arrival 
at the port of destination, by men thus taking 
revenge for harsh usage ! How many refusals of 
duty, mutinies, murders, and lawsuits have their 
beginning in a' foul word or blow! Just sum 
these up and look at the other side.. I am no 
apologist for those who let sailors do as they like.' 
The results of inefficiency do not belong to our 
side of the account. But take this vessel for an 
example. We are not treated with the strict def- 
erence the sailor gives to a severe ruler, but we 
secure his enduring respect and a good name on 
shore. We hear more growling about ' grub,' for 
if the cook doesn't make l bread scouse ' to suit 
them, the men are not afraid to come aft to the 
cabin to complain about it. In ordinary work we 



SAILORS TREATMENT. 43 

have not quite so much drive and smartness, but 
all important duties are done as well if not better. 
I think of no other disadvantages, and all that 
can be said of what I have named is, that our dis- 
cipline is not as rigid as that of ships where men 
are abused ; but no one can den}' that we have 
good discipline. As to your remark about Chris- 
tian officers, I must say I think it a very cowardly 
speech. If shipboard is a place of trial it is just 
the place for a Christian, for who has such re- 
sources as he? " 

The mate took exception to one part of my 
admissions and paid me the compliment of say- 
ing, " I never sailed with a captain that received 
as much respect from sailors as you do. I notice 
whenever you come for'ard how the men straighten 
themselves up to their work, and the respectful 
manner in which they step out of your way." 

One moonlight evening, when the trade-wind 
was driving us briskly along, we were sitting in 
our easy chairs on deck enjoying the romance of 
the sea, and the passenger asked me, if sailors 
always behaved well when they were well treated. 
In answer I told him the story of 
AN EASY SHIP. 

When a lad of nineteen' years, in company with 
a friend of my own age, I made a voyage from 
Boston to Cronstadt and back to New York as 
passenger in the ship " Volant." She was a full-built 
vessel of about six hundred tons register and car- 



44 oisr BOAiiD the Iiocket. 

ried a crew of fourteen before the mast. The 
captain was a Swede named Nelson, a good nat- 
ured, worthy man. Mr. Smith, the first mate, was 
an Englishman, a man with a very kind heart and 
easy disposition. The second mate, Mr. Kemp, 
was an old sea clog, hailing from New Hampshire. 
He was a hard drinker when on shore and appeared 
to be wholly destitute of ambition. His sea char- 
acter depended entirely on that of his superiors. 
If they were severe he could be as great a tyrant 
as any one, and if they were inclined to take their 
ease he could be as quiet and unconcerned as 
though he had nothing to do with the ship. Of 
the sailors, five were Irish, three were " Dutch- 
men," two English, two American and two from 
Nova Scotia. They were of rather a low grade, 
but were for the most part a well disposed set of 
men, though half of them were very deficient in 
seamanship. For the first week of the passage 
they seemed very peacable, with the exception .of 
one man who called himself " Brock," and was 
one of the vilest sort of " Liverpool Packet Rats." 
He was always grumbling and cursing, no sailor, 
and a miserable shirk. His talk, by degrees, affected 
the others, the poison gradually spread and the 
rest of the crew became surly and discontented, — 
ready to join in with whatever " growl " Brock 
might start. It was hard to see what they could 
find fault with, for there was scarcely ever a 
"hurrah" or "bear a hand " uttered by the officers ; 



AN EASY SHIP. 45 

the men took fifteen or twenty minutes to " turn 
out," and the mate had been forward the second 
night after leaving Boston, and had told the watch 
on deck that there was no need of more than one 
remaining on deck, and the rest might lie down on 
their chests in the forecastle and be ready for a 
call. The result was that the men usually stayed 
in their bunks all night. 

The captain hardly ever opened his mouth in 
hearing of the crew. At seven o'clock in the 
morning he got out of his berth and came to the 
breakfast table. After winding his chronometer 
and taking the usual observation for longitude, he 



■» 



lighted his pipe and sat down to read the New 
York Herald, of which he had a large pile on the 
right hand side of his chair, and the voyage was 
principally devoted to building a pile on his left 
hand with the papers that had been read. The 
observation for latitude was taken at noon, then 
followed dinner, a smo^e and a nap till about half- 
past four, and then came another smoke and sup- 
per. The evening was chiefly devoted to his pipe 
and the favorite newspaper, and if the weather 
was unsettled he sometimes appeared on deck once 
or twice in the night. It was seldom this routine 
was disturbed by anything more serious than an 
attack on him by his young passengers with box- 
ing gloves or fencing foils. 

When half way across the Atlantic the captain 
went on deck one evening; to take a look at the 



46 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

weather before "turning in." Casting his eye to 
windward he saw that a heavy squall was about to 
strike the ship, and looking around for the second 
mate, he discovered that worthy fast asleep on the 
after bitts wholly unconscious of the two squalls 
that threatened him. The captain showed the pos- 
session of some temper by catching the sleeping 
officer by the neck and sending him sprawling to 
the deck. " You good-for-nothing," said he, '-' I 
didn't think an old sailor like 3^011 would serve me 
such a trick. Call all hands to shorten sail ! " 
The second mate picked himself up and got to the 
forecastle as quickly as his confused senses would 
allow him, and called to the men to " tumble out " 
as quickly as possible. His own watch were in 
there as well as the watch below, and all were 
soundly asleep. They had got so accustomed to 
slow movements that even a squall would not 
hurry them much, but a few got out on deck and 
had just let go the topgallant halyards and hauled 
down the flying-jib, when the squall struck the 
ship and laid her almost on her beam-ends, for she 
had a cargo of cotton and was very crank. The 
topsail halyards were then let go, the spanker low- 
ered and the ship was got off before the wind. 
The rain poured in torrents and the work of short- 
ening sail was certainly not very agreeable. 
Through all the work Brock's voice could be 
heard swearing and grumbling, — "■ If any one 
ever asks me to go another Russian voyage,' ' said 



AN EASY SHIP. 47 

he, " if I've got money enough to buy ,an old rusty 
pistol I'll shoot him." Several of the sails were 
split and two hours of the passage were lost by 
the second mate's nap. The captain thought best 
to keep a stricter eye on him after this and ordered 
that the watch on deck should keep out of the 
forecastle. For a few days the}" did so, but one 
by one they tried the experiment of going in there, 
and finding it created no uproar, they soon got 
back to old habits. 

When four weeks out we passed the Orkney 
Islands and the same afternoon sighted Fair Island 
off the port bow. We passed within five miles of 
the Island, and two boats with six men in each 
pulled off to meet us. The men were small and 
thin and with only one exception had light com-- 
plexions and sandy hair and beards. The}" came 
on board and begged, in whining tones, to be 
allowed to exchange their fish for bread and salt 
meat. After a trade, made very much in their 
favor, they produced woollen mittens and socks, 
knitted by the women of the island, and made 
another trade. These being exhausted they pro- 
ceeded to beg, with a stock of appeals to charitable 
motives. When all the clothes had been obtained 
that seemed likely to be forthcoming, they asked 
for " rel-ee-gious books and tracts." Two daj's 
after this we made the Coast of Norway. Then 
beating against a head wind for two days more we 
got through the Skager Hack, passed the Scaw 



48 ON BOABt) THE ROCKET. 

of Denmark, and steered through the Cattegat 
towards Elsinore. 

The cook of the ship was a negro — a lazy, dirty 
fellow he was ! Neither the captain nor the officers 
paid any attention to the state of things in the 
galley, except that the "old man" gave an occa- 
sional admonition to be economical, and " Cuffey" 
lived in ease and slovenliness. The " grub " was 
poorly cooked, and scanty at , that ; and the tea 
was so weak that when one night " Doctor," as the 
cook is always called, forgot to put any tea into 
the coppers, the men drank the warm water and 
molasses without any idea of the omission. A 
barrel of beef was intended to last twelve days at 
least, but owing to the gifts to the Fair Islanders 
the barrel at this time was about exhausted on the 
tenth day. The cook thought he could eke it out 
one day longer, and the consequence was that in. 
the evening, " Bill," a short, stout Nova Scotian, 
with a very lugubrious countenance, marched aft 
carrying a large tin pan, containing a very small 
piece of boiled salt beef. The mate was stand- 
ing by the weather-rail, just forward of the poop. 
Bill deposited the pan at his feet. Folding his 
arms he exclaimed in a very meek and mournful 
tone, " Mr. Smith, I wish you'd take a belaying 
pin and beat my brains out." 

"What good would that do you?" said the 
mate. 



AN EASY SHIP. 49 

" I'd rather die at once than starve to death," 
the sailor answered. 

" Who's going to starve 3^011 to death ? " 

"We don't get food enough for a dog, let alone 
a man," said Bill. 

The mate then endeavored to prove that Bill 
was not a man ; the main point of his argument 
being that a few days before he had " made a splice 
in the foretopmost studding-sail tripping-line that 
would be a disgrace to a loblolly boy." This 
argument went on for a while, till the man became 
convinced that the mate was neither disposed to 
accept his polite invitation as to the disposition of 
his brains, nor to furnish any more beef that even- 
ing. So he thought it best to be contented with 
the promise of a larger allowance in the morning, 
and make use of the small supply at hand. 

The cook was sulky because the men had com- 
plained about him, and the next evening he made 
the tea with salt water. This imposition was more 
than they could swallow, and brought about an- 
other complaint, in consequence of which the cap- 
tain summoned the "Doctor" aft, and in a great 
rage stuttered out a string of phrases, the burden 
of which seemed to be, "I — I'll swab the decks 
with you." 

We had a good passage up the Baltic and Gulf 
of Finland, and got to our moorings in Cronstadt 
Mole, where we discharged our cotton and loaded 
a cargo of sheet-iron, hemp, cordage and crash. 



50 ON BOAItD THE EOCKET. 

One of the men was taken ill with cholera and 
died in the hospital, and a good deal of discussion 
took place among the crew as to whether his place 
would be filled. Great efforts were made to des- 
patch the vessel by September 20th, as after that 
day the premium of insurance on vessel and cargo 
would advance one per cent., owing to the increased 
dangers of navigation later in the season, making a 
difference of one thousand dollars to the owners. 
On the morning of the twentieth the last of the 
cargo was put on board. The captain went on 
shore to obtain his clearance papers, leaving word 
with the mate to be all ready to haul out of the 
Mole at noon. Upon his return he found the ship 
fast at her moorings, with no signs of any intention 
to move. Coming over the gangway in a rage he 
was met by the mate, who prevented the explosion 
that was about to take place by informing him that 
the men had refused duty. 

"Refused duty!" said the captain; "what can 
that mean ? " 

" Why, sir, they say they won't go to sea unless 
3 7 ou ship a man in the place of the one that died." 

"But I can't now, 1 ' said he; "the ship must go 
right to sea, and no one would go on such a short 
notice." 

" I've told them that, sir, but that villain, Brock, 
has made the rest ugly." 

Capt. Nelson returned on shore and spent half 
an hour in a vain attempt to find a sailor who 



•AN" EASY SHIP. . 51 

would go immediately to sea. Returning on board 
he asked me to go into the forecastle and try to 
persuade the men to turn to. I did what I could, 
but of course a boy's talk was not much heeded, 
and I got rather scared, myself by their curses and 
threats. Then the mate came to the door and 
asked in a shaky voice, " Are you going to turn 
to?" 

" When that man comes aboard," was Brock's 
defiant answer. 

Mr. Smith hastened back to report that they 
still refused duty, and the captain hailed a passing 
boat and procured some Russians from the " Cap- 
tain of the ' Branvault,' " as the harbor-master is 
called. With their assistance the ship was hauled 
to the Mole-head, and gave her hawser to the tow- 
boat that was waiting outside. Then the Russians 
stepped ashore, I took the wheel, the mates cast 
off the lines, and we proceeded in tow of the 
steamer. 

When fairly off, the captain told the mate to 
call all hands aft. Standing by the cabin door he 
made an address to them, offering to divide among 
them the wages that would have come to the dead 
sailor, had he lived to complete the voyage. 

Some of the men were inclined to give in, but 
Brock muttered, " We don't want a dead man's 
wages." 

" Well," said the captain, " I'll give you what 



52 OH BOAUD THE EOCKET. 

I should have paid another man if I had shipped 
one." 

" Oh, we've been humbugged that way before, 
Cap'n," said Brock, who turned and went forward, 
followed by the rest of the crew, leaving the cap- 
tain in the midst of another conciliatory harangue. 

The ship was soon abreast of Tollbaken, ten 
miles from Cronstadt. The wind was dead ahead ; 
and having nominally sailed, the captain decided to 
come to anchor and wait for the wind and crew to 
favor him. 

The mate asked the men if they would turn to 
and let go the anchor.; and thinking they would 
thus gain their point, and also their dinner, they 
consented. The steamer was cast off and the ship 
brought to anchor. 

The crew were then allowed to get their dinner, 
but when called on to work, they again refused. 
The captain was greatly troubled, and so much at 
a loss what to do, that he appealed to me for advice. 
I felt rather flattered by his consideration, and 
suggested that he .should put the men in irons. 
He was afraid to try that, so I proposed that he 
should give them nothing to eat till they resumed 
duty. When supper-time came they went to the 
galley, and being refused, Brock marched aft with 
his tin pot in hand, and with the coolest impudence, 
asked the captain if they were not to be allowed 
any supper. 

"Not till. you turn to," was the reply. 



AJST EASY SHIP. 53 

The man then put on an air of injured innocence 
and declared it was a shame to try to starve men 
to death. But he sauntered forward, and the men 
turned in, laughing at the way they had " waxed 
the old man," but feeling a little concerned on the 
score of eating. 

At nine o'clock in the evening, the wind hauled 
fair. The captain went to the forecastle, and after 
fifteen minutes spent in argument upon the pro- 
priety of their going to work, the promise of some 
tea, and other fair words, prevailed upon the men 
to get the ship under way, and the passage was 
fairly begun. 

We passed through the Baltic and by Elsinore 
without any remarkable occurrence, except the 
increased independence and insolence of the crew. 
They felt that the Cronstadt disturbance had 
proved there was no fight in the officers, and some 
of the crew showed more zeal in taking their com- 
fort than in obeying orders. 

Brock particularly distinguished himself. He 
boasted in the forecastle that he was going to try 
to induce an officer to strike him, in order that he 
might raise some money by a lawsuit on arriving 
in New York. One day the ship was running 
before a strong breeze, under the main-topgallant- 
sail. Brock was at the wheel, and, being a misera- 
ble helmsman, was letting the ship yaw about two 
points each side of her course. 

" Keep her straight," said the captain. 



54 OK BOARD THE ROCKET. 

"I should like to see any one keep her any 
straighter," was Brock's answer; and upon this 
the captain took hold of the wheel to prove that it 
could be done. Instead of stopping to witness the 
proof, Brock started forward. 

" Come back here ! " shouted the captain. 

" One's enough to steer the ship," was the polite 
answer, and the fellow made for the forecastle, 
leaving the captain working the wheel, unable to 
leave it until relieved. The mate, finding out the 
trouble, went to the forecastle and saw Brock 
leisurely lighting his pipe. 

" Go aft and take the wheel again ! What busi- 
ness have you got here ? " 

" Don't you fret ; I'll come out when I get 
ready," said Brock. The mate turned away and 
sent another sailor to relieve the captain. After 
Brock had finished his smoke, he appeared again on 
deck, and politely asked Mr. Smith if he had a job 
for him. The mate gave him a few of his opinions 
about his behavior, and set him at work aloft. 

That night, in the first watch, I was keeping the 
mate company on deck, and hearing Mr. Smith's 
complaints about Brock. "Why don't you knock 
him down ? " said I. " That's the only kind of 
treatment such a man can understand." 

"I'll tell you why I don't," said the mate. 
"About five years ago I was mate of the ship 
"Neptune " in the Liverpool trade. We hove up our 
anchor in the River Mersey and were being towed 



AN EASY SHIP. . 55 

out to sea. I was anxious to get the anchor catted" 
as soon as possible, as the pilot wanted sail made on 
the ship, and I had all the crew on the forecastle, 
heaving on the capstan. An ugly-looking Liver- 
pool Irishman, called Jim Kelle}% was holding the 
turn, and just as the anchor was about up to the 
pat-head he let go the rope : it flew around the 
capstan at a lively rate, and the anchor went down. 
I growled at him for it, and he said it slipped 
away from him. We went at it again, and had 
the anchor half-way up, when Kelley surged the 
fall and let it go again. Tt was raining at the 
time, and things were very slippery, and he pleaded 
that as his excuse : but I thought I saw mischief in 
his .eye. The end of the fall had hit two of the 
men pretty severe blows, as it flew around the 
capstan. I was pretty mad- by this time, and told 
him if he did that again I'd knock his head off. I 
thought he'd hold on the next time, but just as I 
was going to say, "Heave a pawl! " down went the 
anchor for the third lime. I heard the pilot rattling 
off a string of oaths as long as the maintop-bowline, 
and I stepped up to Kelley and gave him a touch 
of my fist that sent him head first off the topgallant 
forecastle on to a pile of chain cable. He didn't 
feel like holding any more turns for a day or two, 
you may bet, and the rest of the crew said it served 
him right. But when we got into New York I 
was hauled up in court for it, and had to pay fifty 
dollars fine. Now I've got a wife and five children, 



56 ON BOAED THE EOCKET. 

and as good-looking- ones as you'd wish to see they 
are, too, though I say it, and my wages are all 
they have to support them. That villain Brock, is 
a good deal of a sea-lawyer, and if I lay my hand 
on him, it's only taking the bread out of my little 
ones 1 mouths and giving him rum money. I made 
a vow after that time that I'd never strike a man 
again.'' 

"But what can you do," said I ; "you ought to 
keep good discipline. Hasn't the captain got any 
legal power to punish ugly sailors ? " 

" Yes," said Mr. Smith, "the captain has power, 
but he doesn't want to be troubled, and it's con- 
sidered themrate's place to keep the men straight. 
Once I went to a captain and reported an impudent 
sailor, and the only satisfaction I got was, " What 
did you come here for if you can't take care of the 
crew," and I got turned out of the ship at the end 
of the voyage. I made a vow then that I'd never 
complain to the old man again ; so between my . 
two vows I don't see that I've got much chance 
with a sailor that's bent on making a row. If this 
ai'n't a dog's life, I'd like to know what it is." 

All the way across the Atlantic the sailors may 
be said to have had charge of the ship, and did 
about as the} r pleased. Brock's insolence was be- 
yond all bounds, and it seemed incredible that it 
should be submitted to by the captain and officers. 
He was evidently in a desperate mood to get 
struck, and one evening at eight o'clock, when the 



AN EASY SHIP. 57 

captain kept his .watch up a few minutes to take in 
the topgallantsails, as a stormy night was coming 
on, Brock stepped up to him and said, " Cap'n, it's 
too late for you to try and humbug us now. It's 
our watch below." The captain sputtered some 
bad words at him, and told him he was no sailor ; 
but the hoped-for blow was not given. 

_The passage ended at last, and New York was 
reached, none too soon for all on board. The day 
after arrival, the crew came to the ship to be paid 
off, and Brock called the mate aside and made this 
startling speech: "Mr. .Smith, I want to beg your 
pardon for the way I behaved on this voyage. 
You're the kindest man ever I sailed with, and I 
know I ought to be ashamed of myself. I can 
show } r ou the marks on my head where the last 
mate 1 was with split it open with a belaying pin, 
'and I deserved it too. You'd have done right if 
you had served me the same way. What would 
my good old mother have said if she had known 
what a wretch I have been ! She used to pray 
with me, and beg me to be a good man. Now. 
that she's dead, her words sometimes haunt me, 
and I have made up my mind that Til be a differ- 
ent man for the rest of my life." A tear stood in 
his eye, and good Mr. Smith took his hand and 
said, "I don't bear you no ill-will, Brock. I don't 
harbor malice towards nobody living. If a man 
should cut my throat, I believe I'd forgive him the 
next minute." As he turned away, he Caught a 



58 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

whiff of Brock's breath, and the suspicion came 
sadly to his mind that this repentance was • not so 
much the result of piety as of whiskey. 

This story reminds me of a little incident that 
occurred in Bombay, when I was mate of the " Lizzie 
Oakford." There were two- English ships anchored, 
one on each side of us. It was a calm morning, 
and we could hear some of the words spoken on 
board these vessels. A little after breakfast our 
attention was attracted to the ship on the port 
side, by the sound of angry voices. The captain 
was having an altercation with some of his crew, 
and very soon passed from words to blows. He 
"ended" four or five of them over, and with every 
stroke of his fist we could hear him swear about 
the Act of Parliament. In the course of half an 
hour we heard a row on board the ship on the 
starboard side, and looking towards her we saw a 
number of her crew on the poop-deck. One of the 
sailors had seized hold of the mate's coat-tail, and 
was whirling him around in a circle, while another, 
with a folded strip of canvas, belabored his back 
every time he flew past. Our second mate was so 
indignant at this insult to his cloth that he wanted 
to board the vessel and fight the sailors on his own 
account, but he said lie should want to "lick the 
mate too." "There," said he, "are the two e x- 
tremes, and we are the middle. In one ship the 
officers abuse the sailors, and in the other the 
sailors abuse the officers. Here there hasn't been 



BEAVE WESTERLIES. . 59 

much of either yet awhile, though I think the old 
shell-backs have got a little the best of it." 

We ran clown the trades, and keeping well to 
the southward in order to catch the " brave wester- 
lies " as soon as possible, we came in sight of 
Tristan d'Acunha, a noble, symmetrical mountain 
island, 8,826 feet high, its top covered with snow. 
We were becalmed in sight of it for several hours, 
and enjoyed resting our eyes, wearied with gazing 
for weeks upon the dancing water, by fixing them 
on this grand, immovable mass. Books gave an 
interesting account of a colony formed here ; but 
we were not near enough to perceive any signs of 
human life. The lazy rolling of the bark in the 
swell, made even the idea of a residence on the 
snowy peak seem attractive, and there was comfort 
in thinking of a future world which is to be all 
land. 

A breeze, springing up from the north-east, 
gradually freshened. The-sea being quite smoothed 
down by the calm, we were able to carry a press of 
canvas ; and with all sail set and the yards braced 
up, the bark lay down on her side, and made a run 
of 261 miles in 24 hours, and the day after, she 
made 252 miles. The fore topgallantmast was then 
found to be sprung, and a new one had to be put 
in its place. While sending it up, we overtook 
and passed a brig, loafing along under reefed top- 
sails, evidently seeming to think it was blowing a 
gale of wind, whereas we had our main-royal set. 



60 ON BOABD THE KOCKET. 

This showed why some vessels make long passages. 
We sped along swiftly, passing the Cape of Good 
Hope when 61 days out, and running along the 
parallel of 40° S., a succession of gales helped Us 
onward. The weather was chilly, often wet and 
disagreeable, but our good progress kept us cheer- 
ful. One night was especially exhilarating, when 
running in a north-west gale, with the wind quar- 
tering, under reefed canvas, the bark flying away, 
at the rate of 14 knots, from wind, rain, thunder, 
lightning and towering waves. There is some 
sublimity in a sailor's life, and this wild scene was 
a good specimen of it. I enjoyed standing by the 
bitts and singing at the top of my voice some 
hymns expressing trust in the Creator, knowing 
that the noise of the elements made the sound 
inaudible to the crew. As we neared Amsterdam 
Island, the weather continued rainy, and there was 
no chance for observations by which to verify our 
position. On the day I expected to pass it, the 
sun appeared, most providentially, just at noon for 
a moment. I caught the altitude with my sextant 
and found the latitude. But I had no means of 
determining the longitude. We were a few miles 
south of the latitude of the island, so I steered due 
east, keeping a hand on the lookout to watch for 
the land, as I desired to sight it to verify the 
reckoning and the chronometers.. No land ap- ' 
peared ; a dark night was coming on, and I felt 
anxious at running down so nearly in the latitude 



SEA BIBBS. 61 

of the island ; but at evening-time it was light, and 
at 6, p.m., we saw the noble mass of land, nearly 
three thousand feet high, bearing off the weather- 
quarter. "We had already sailed by it, within five 
miles distance. 

One feature of great interest in these latitudes 
is the presence of sea-birds. The noble Albatross, 
the king of sea-birds, is almost always in sight, 
floating in the air about the vessel, no matter how 
fast she goes. Its wings seldom move, and what 
its propelling power is, no one can tell. -It seems 
to depend only on its volition. The Stormy Petrel 
or " Mother Carey's Chicken," is here and every- 
where else on the ocean. The pretty white and 
black Cape Pigeons flock in the wake. We caught 
several of these with small fish-hooks, and tried 
their value as component parts of a pigeon-pie, but 
the flavor was rather strong and oily. The homely, 
black Cape Hens are numerous also. They always 
bring to nry mind a scene witnessed on a former 
voyage. Coming on deck one Sunday, I found 
the mate and passengers engaged in tying pieces 
of pork and bits of red flannel at each end of a 
string and throwing them overboard. The Cape 
Hens greedily swallowed the pork, and several of 
them were flying about with streamers hanging 
from their mouths; another trick was to tie several 
pieces of pork to the same string. Two or three 
birds darting at these, and each swallowing a piece, 
they would rise in the air tied together. I took 



62 ON BOARD TEE ROCKET. 

the part of the hens on this occasion, and let the 
mate brace the yards for ji while. 

The weather was cool in these latitudes, and it 
was no longer agreeable to sit on deck. Our 
evenings were usually passed in the cabin, and I 
employed some of the hours in reading to the pas- 
senger an account of my experiences in the ship 
Dublin. I explained to him that it was written 
while I was officer of a ship, and had no leisure to 
attempt literary embellishment. Its sole object 
.was to record the events relating to the manage- 
ment of the crew, and I requested him to forbear 
criticism of its style. 



CHAPTER III. 

THE VOYAGE OF THE " DUBLIN." 

MY first voyage, as officer, was made in the good 
ship " Dublin." She was six hundred tons 
register, and of the style said to be built, Down 
East, by the mile and sawed off. Her bow and 
stern were so square, they gave an impression of 
truth to this statement, but for all that she was a 
staunch, well built vessel, and though twenty-one 
years old was still an able and trustworthy ship. 
Her worthy owner, one of the merchant princes of 
Boston, used to go down on the wharf and rub his 
hands with delight when the old " Dublin" came 
into port. She was his favorite ship, and her blunt 
bow was more attractive to him than the rakish 
model of the modern clippers. He would tell 
how the copper bolts were driven into her, only 
one inch a day, to make them " fit solid ; " how 

63 



64 ON BOAPJD THE ROCKET. 

the timbers were "scarfed" and " dowelled," and 
many other things that it would need a ship 
builder's manual to interpret. He considered a 
great honor had been done me, by the permission 
to go to sea as third mate of her, and shook his 
head with misgivings when he heard that the cap- 
tain had engaged so young and inexperienced an 
officer. I had been to sea four voyages, one of 
them over fourteen months around the world, 
before the mast. I could hand, reef and steer, and 
do the ordinary work on the rigging, as well as 
most sailors, so I did not consider my presumption 
very great. 

Captain Streeter, her- commander, was a fine- 
looking man of about forty years. He was tall 
and well formed, with dark complexion, black hair, 
beard and moustache, and a coal-black, flashing 
eye that bespoke a strong will and a passionate 
nature. He was very fluent in speech, and gave 
the impression on a first hearing that he was what 
sailors call "a blower." 

When he engaged me, he gave a long and im- 
pressive harangue. He didn't want an officer that 
was afraid of sailors, but at the same time he 
allowed no one to abuse the crew, and especially 
objected to the use of profane language, which he 
condemned as the most foolish of practices. He 
appointed the day for me to come on board and I 
left him pleased with my success, but with a lurk- 
ing suspicion that my fair-talking captain might 



A DARKEY CREW. 65 

prove to belong to the class known as " shore-saints 
and sea-devils." The owner, however, was one of 
the best men living, a noble philanthropist, and a 
vice-president of the Seamen's Friend Society. I 
therefore felt some assurance that his ship would 
, have a respectable captain and be well conducted. 

At six o'clock, one dark morning in the end of 
November, my fond father bade me farewell at the 
door, as I left my pleasant home and its gentle 
occupants, and trudged to East Boston, in a storm 
of sleet, to enter upon a sphere and mingle with 
associates so contrasted, that I needed no other 
illustration, for the next few months, to impress 
upon my mind the two extremes of the future 
life. 

The ship was bound to Richmond, Virginia, in 
ballast, there to load a cargo of tobacco for the 
Mediterranean. In the forenoon, a negro crew of 
fourteen men and two boys came on board. They 
were mostly fine " strapping " fellows, with bright 
ey6s and shining " ivories," and as we proceeded 
down the bay the}^ made the decks ring with their 
songs ; the maintopsail going to the mast-head to 
the tune of " Come down you bunch o' roses, come 
down," and the foretopsail halyards answering to 
the strong pulls following the sentiment : 

"Sally Brown's a bright Mulatto, 
She drinks rum and chews tobacco." 

A man who was loosing the mizzen -topgallant- 



% 02? BOARD THE ROCKET. 

sail was heard to utter some profane exclamations 
over the bunt gasket, which was made fast with a 
knot that resisted all his efforts at untying, being 
what sailors call " an anti-gallican hitch." As I 
have mentioned, Capt. Streeter had. remarked a 
few clays before that he allowed no profane lan- 
guage on board, of his ship, and. I wondered if he 
would, take any notice of this ; but I did not wait 
long before having my curiosity satisfied. The 
same thought probably came to the captain's mind, 
for he stepped, to where he could, get a good look 
at the man, and then began : " Button your lip 
up, or I'll knock spots out of you. I don't allow 
swearing on board of this boat ; " with more to the 
same effect, accompanied by several profane epi- 
thets. It was evident that the captain's fluency of 
speech was not limited to polite conversation, and 
his consistency was explained by his remarking, at 
a future time, that his rule on board ship was, " do 
as I order, not as I do." 

The Pilot left at Boston Light. All hands were 
busily employed putting things to rights, for a 
ship is seldom in order except when at sea. There, 
men are constantly laboring to keep everything 
" ship-shape " and tidy, and the moment the vessel 
is moored at the wharf, crew and officers generally 
go over the side, stevedores, riggers and carpenters 
take possession, and the decks are in a turmoil 
until she is again out of the range of visitors. 

It surprised me to see the captain interesting 



THE MATES. 6? 

himself in all the work, for in previous voyages 
its execution had been left entirely to the officers. 
While the mate was securing the anchors, the cap- 
tain visited the topgallant forecastle and offered 
suggestions, which the high-spirited first officer 
treated with a contemptuous silence. The black 
eyes shone with suppressed rage, and their owner 
transferred his interference to the second mate's 
labors, which were being employed in putting on 
chafing-gear. He soon worked this officer into 
such a flurry, that he hardly knew whether he 
stood on his head or his heels, and then after put- 
ting a stop to a job the carpenter had undertaken, 
and peeping into the cook's boilers to see how 
much beef they contained, to the delight of all, he 
disappeared into the cabin, but in a few minutes 
his loud tones showed that the steward was the 
object of his attentions. 

In the evening, after the watches were chosen, 
the captain joined the officers on deck and talked 
familiarly with us, illustrating his remarks by anec- 
dotes and comparisons more amusing than refined. 
We were obliged to confess to each other that he 
was a very agreeable man in private, and for a 
time forgot all the mental imprecations we had 
bestowed on him during the day, on account of 
his interference with the work. 

The mate and second mate had a talk by them- 
selves concerning their duties, and the second 
mate, while expatiating upon his own good qualifi- 



68 OK BOARD THE ROCKET. 

cations, put his hand in his pocket and pulling out 
a pair of brass knuckles put them upon his hand. 
Holding his fist up, he said: "I always carry my 
tools with me-, and if }^ou ever want any work 
done, you have only to say the word, and you'll 
find me on hand like Day and Martin's blacking." 

" 1 don't want } 7 ou to let me see those things 
again, while you're on board of this ship," said 
the mate. 

" Why so ; do you intend to let those sailors 
play Isaac and Josh with you ? " 

"No," said the mate, "but when I can't keep 
men in order, without using such weapons as that, 
I'll give up to some one who can. I never knew 
a man yet who carried such things but he proved 
to be a coward at heart." 

"No man can call me a coward," replied the 
second mate in an angry tone. 

" Well," said the mate, " I hope you are not one, 
but I shall think better of you if I hear nothing 
more about brass knuckles." 

This was not a very pleasant opening of ac- 
quaintance, and both parties took at the outset a 
dislike to each other. 

I gained from each of them a brief account of 
their antecedents. 

Mr. Morrison, the first mate, was a Scotchman by 
birth, about forty-two years of age. He had been 
captain of English vessels, but having met with 
misfortunes, concerning which he was very reti- 



A BULLY. 6tf 

cent, he had begun to seek his fortune in the 
American merchant service. He was a short, 
thick-set man, with a ruddy complexion and a cast 
of countenance expressing courage and determi- 
nation. His bearing was significant of " Scotch 
pride." He was a man of much intelligence aucl 
had received a good education. 

Mr. Howard, the second mate, hailed from the 
State of Maine. He w<is of medium height and 
well built, but had a brutal look and seemed ordi- 
nary in intelligence. He frankly confided to me 
the immediate occasion of his shipping in the 
"Dublin." 

" Last voyage I was second mate of the 
' Minerva,' We had a nigger crew and used 'em 
pretty rough I must sa} r ; but I had 'em in such 
good discipline that one day I got mad with a 
'moke ' about something: and I told him to lav his 
head down on the hatch for I was going to chop 
it off. He did just as I told him, and though he 
thought I was going to kill him, he didn't dare to 
move or say his soul was his own. That's what I 
call good discipline. 

" We kept them under well enough at sea, but 
when we got into Rio Janeiro, what did the scamps 
do but set fire to the ship, and burn her up ; and 
two days after a gang of 'em caught me one even- 
ing in the street, and gave me such a pounding 
that I couldn't see out of my eyes for a fortnight. 
I believe they'd have killed me if the police hadn't 



70 ON BOAED THE EOCKET. 

come along and rescued me. I vowed then I 
would sail just once more with a nigger crew, and 
from what I hear of this captain, I think he's just 
the man that'll suit me." 

The "Dublin "had a fair start. In three clays 
we sighted the Capes of Virginia and in two more 
worked up the~ James River to City Point. City 
Point then consisted of about twenty dwelling 
houses beside the negroes' cabins, and had wharves 
at which the vessels lay while receiving their 
cargoes of tobacco, which came to them in 
lighters from the city of Richmond, about thirty 
miles above, the shallowness of the river prevent- 
ing anything but vessels of light draft from pro- 
ceeding there. The tobacco was packed in large 
hogsheads, weighing from one thousand to eigh- 
teen hundred pounds, and as the crew hoisted 
them in they kept up a song from morning till 
night. Negro stevedores from the shore stowed 
them in the hold, and the captain spent almost all 
his time down there, watching that they saved all 
the room possible, frequently making them " break 
out " again, to the great disgust of the negroes. 
I heard one of them saying to the others : " I neb- 
ber see such a man as dis cap'n afore; he rinks he 
knows eberyting and nobody else don't know 
nuffin." 

There was of course nothing here to interest us 
be3^ond receiving our tobacco, and when the ship 
was loaded to sixteen feet draft she dropped down 



OWNERS INSTRUCTIONS. 71 

the river ten miles, into deeper water, and there 
completed her cargo. 

On a fine clear day in the end of December, we 
left the shore of Virginia astern and steered for 
the Straits of Gibraltar. Fresh and favorable 
winds prevailed for several clays and we made 
good progress on our voyage. 

One evening the captain in a confidential mood 
read us some extracts from the owner's letter of 
instructions, and was particularly merry over the 
latter part of it, which read : " You will distribute 
to the men the books and tracts which are supplied. 
You will endeavor to suppress all vice and immor- 
ality on board of your vessel and use your best 
efforts to promote the welfare of your crew." 

The inmates of the ship now felt acquainted 
with each other, and as a general thing their good 
opinions were very much modified. 

Capt. Streeter having no taste for reading, and 
being a man of energetic and active temperament, 
could not content himself in his cabin, and was 
almost constantly on deck roaming about the ship, 
criticizing every job of work, "in every body's 
mess and nobody's watch." 

When bracing yards, making or taking in sail, 
he would stand on top of the house, and accompany 
his orders with volleys of oaths, provided things 
were not done exactly to his mind. If the crew 
did not move quite actively enough, and nothing 
in this way would suit him but the " clean jump," 



72 ON BOARD THE EOCKET. 

every blackguard epithet that his fluent tongue 
and inventive brain could command was heaped 
upon them : Scoundrels, black scorpions, and 
names too filthy for utterance were their common 
titles at such times, and when the men and officers 
did so well that he could not find a point to cen- 
sure, he seemed rather disappointed at losing an 
opportunity for this favorite employment. Sailors 
call such a man, " a blower." 

At night no one was allowed to sit down on 
deck, and though no work was to be done, the 
sailors had to keep on their legs. Such strict rules 
of course gave the officers a good deal of disagree- 
able work. From eight to twelve at night the men 
would have to walk the deck, unless engaged in 
working ship, and when at four o'clock, A.M., they 
were roused out, after four hours slumber, they 
could not always resist the temptation to sit down 
on a spar, or lean over a water-cask. In spite 
of their efforts to keep awake, their heads would 
drop upon their arms and they would fall asleep. 

If any-olie wishes to experience something which 
in his recollections will serve as a synonjan for 
misery, let him sail in such, a ship and stand the 
morning watch. In the hour from four to five as 
he stumbles about the deck, endeavoring to drive 
away the drowsiness that weighs down his eyelids, 
he will fee] a wretchedness, which, unless he is a 
very unfortunate man, will seldom, if ever, be sur- 
passed during his life. 



WEITING THE LOG. 73 

The mate failed to carry out these orders very 
strictly, as he knew it could only be done by harsh 
measures ; for though his fiery temper often led 
him to strike a blow at some unlucky sailor, he 
despised all premeditated schemes to abuse or 
oppress them. Besides this, he thought he saw 
through . the captain's character. He imagined 
that he was anxious to gain for the "Dublin" the 
reputation" of being a " hard " ship, provided his 
officers would do all the necessary " dirty work," 
but was unwilling to expose himself to the present 
dangers of fighting, or the future disgrace of lawsuits. 
Their relations to each other were not very pleas- 
ant, for the mate was jealous of the captain's inter- 
ference with his work, and the captain, perceiving 
his state of mind, attempted to retaliate by little 
acts of oppression, of which one will be sufficient 
to show the spirit. 

The mate's room was very small. His only con- 
venience for writing up his log book was at a nar- 
row standing desk, where he was too much cramped 
to do it neatly. 

At the beginning of the passage he sat down at 
the table in the forward cabin to perform this part 
of his duty, and the captain coming from his spa- 
cious after-cabin found him there at work. Upon 
seeing him he drew himself up, and in a pompous 
way said: " Mr. Morrison, I want you to understand 
that my cabin table isn't a writing desk for of- 
ficers." 



74 OK BOARD THE ROCKET. 

" Oh, indeed," said the mate. "I've always been 
accustomed to have the use of it even for my 
private writing, and I had no idea you would object 
to my writing the ship's log here." 

" You must learn you ai'n't aboard one of your 
lime-juice ships now," was the courteous response, 
and the mate retired to his room, his Scotch pride 
and temper almost overcoming his desire to respect 
the captain. 

But the second mate was a man after the cap- 
tain's own heart. It was only necessary to show 
him the way to the captain's good graces, and his 
subservience joined to his own brutal passions 
made him an earnest disciple. - 

The crew were a pretty independent and saucy 
set of negroes, and required a strict hand to keep 
them under. From the very first there had been 
almost daily little difficulties, and at one time at 
City Point a general knockdown was only pre- 
vented by the mate's interfering between the sec- 
ond mate and a sailor, to the great wrath of the 
former. 

A few days after leaving the Chesapeake, Mr. 
Howard was going around the deck at about half- 
past four in the morning, and found a man called 
Brooks sitting down and nodding. He awakened 
him very suddenly by raising him up by the ears, 
and then set the whole watch to work bracing the 
yards " in " a little. The men were sleepy, and 
cross at this "humbugging," for they knew the 



fcRASS KNUCKLES. 76 

wind had not altered at all, and this was merely a 
" work up job." They were not very prompt with 
their Aye, aye, sir. 

" Haul in the topgallant-brace " said the officer. 

No answer followed, but he saw the order was 
obeyed. 

" Belay ! " 

Still no answer. 

" Sing out," said he ; " if you don't open your 
gills I'll slaughter you. Haul in the royal-brace ! " 

No answer. 

He turned in a rage and catching hold of 
Brooks, who was nearest him, gave him a blow with 
his brass knuckles that would have unsettled any 
ordinary head. But the darkey's skull was not 
very sensitive, and he- at once drew his sheath- 
knife, and stabbed Howard in the abdomen. He 
had on thick. clothes, and the knife after cutting 
through them inflicted only a small flesh wound. 
Howard was rather frightened by this episode, and 
not knowing how badly he was cut, upon seeing 
the other men seize handspikes and belaying pins 
ready to join Brooks, in case of any further attack, 
he thought it best to retreat. After breakfast he 
reported the case to the captain, who sent for 
Brooks to come into the cabin, where he took his 
position with a pistol and a fathom of ratline stuff. 
Having shut the door, so that there should be no 
witnesses, he made the man take off his shirt ; and 
then flogged him till the blood flowed down his 



76 On BOARD THE SOCKET. 

back, and the man's cries and promises made him 
desist. 

The captain's prompt espousal of the second 
mate's cause showed that he would stand by his 
officers, and it had the effect of making the crew 
more respectful- and careful. 

Being the third' mate, I was of course in the 
mate\watch; my duty was to follow up the execu- 
tion of the mate's orders, and look after the little 
details of work. I must know the place for every- 
thing and see that it was in its place. - When the 
decks were cleared up at night, if the mate in his 
inspection spied a stray marlinespike or serving- 
board, it was the third mate who had to answer 
for it. If a sailor wanted spunyarn or seizing- 
stuff to work with, it was the third mate avIio must 
know where to find it and run and get it, or if the 
lockers were not in order or the tar-barrel fetched 
adrift he was the first looked at for blame. In his 
turn of course he could growl at the sailors, but 
that was rather poor satisfaction, and he had not 
filled his office many days before lie came to the 
conclusion that it was a most thankless billet, and 
that a third mate's portion contained " a larger share 
of kicks than of coppers." I was only nineteen 
years old. The sailors looked upon me as a 
youngster, and were not inclined to be particularly 
respectful, thinking I wouldn't dare to use force 
with them. 



BEEFING TOPSAILS. 77 

The captain watched me very closely, wishing 
to train me up in the way I should go, and many a 
harsh-sounding order or rebuke I got from him on 
deck, all the more galling because given in the 
presence of the men. But personally the captain 
seemed favorably inclined toward me, or else he 
feared lest I might make a report of his doings to 
the owner, and thus sought frequent opportunities 
to talk with me and smooth over my ruffled feel- 
ings. It is not customary for a captain to have 
any conversation with a third mate, and I was not 
quite sure as to his motive, though I leaned to the 
latter opinion, judging from the tenor of all his 
stories, talk and advice, which was to the sole end 
of discipline, or, perhaps more exactly, of fighting 
sailors. In consulting with the mate as to this he 
gave me a decided opinion. "Ail the old man 
wants," said he, " is to have you tarred with the 
same brush as himself, and then he thinks you 
wouldn't injure him ashore, for you know it doesn't 
do for the pot to call the kettle black." 

One da} r we were reefing the mizzen-topsail and 
I was astride of the yard-arm hauling out the 
weather earing. The captain saw from the deck 
that the men had not gathered up all the slack 
sail on top of the yard, before tying the reef- 
points ; and he at once set up a roar of mingled 
oaths and orders, which, with a storm howling 
past my ears produced a bewildering effect. 
With some difficulty I divined the pith of his 



78 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

remarks, and gave the necessary directions; but 
this was not enough for the captain, who sang out 
to me, "What's the use of sitting there and talk- 
ing to them, get up on the yard and kick their 
heads off." A good deal more followed, but I was 
too angry to hear anything else and paid no atten- 
tion. 

The captain saw that I was rather out of sorts 
for the rest of the day, and in the dog-watch came 
up to me as I was leaning against the booby-hatch 
and began in his pleasant fluent way to tell me a 
story. 

" You never met Mr. Jones of Baltimore did 
you?" 

" No sir, I never did." 

" Well, he was my second mate, when I had the 
ship ' Daphne ' in .the China trade." 

I had heard from good authority on shore that 
the "Dublin" was the only ship Capt. Streeter 
had ever commanded, and since being at sea with 
him I had learned that Mr. Jones was his ideal 
officer, and whenever he wished to give a hint to 
his present mates upon points where he felt he 
could not command, his favorite and usual method 
was to convey it in a story about Mr. Jones, and 
Mr. Jones' name had already become a by-word 
among the officers. I knew what was coming and 
prepared to receive instructions. 

" Mr. Jones," continued the captain, " never 
went aloft to reef topsails without having a belay- 



ME. JONES. T9 

ing pin stuck into the leg of his boot. He used 
to take his stand in the slings of the yard, and if 
the sail wasn't picked up pretty lively, before you 
could count twenty he would have been out on 
both yard-arms, and hit every man a tap on the 
head that made 'em take hold like young tigers. 
Then when the sail was reefed he'd sing out, 'lay 
down,' and as every man got into the rigging^ 
if he wasn't mighty spry, he'd get helped along 
with a kick, and then he followed the last man 
down and jumped on his head and shoulders, if he 
could overtake him. I tell you it was fun to see 
them scatter when he said 'lay down.' They 
would come sliding down the backstays like a par- 
cel of monke3 r s, and once a Dutchman, who hap- 
pened to be the last man, and saw the second 
mate's boots just above his head, got so frightened 
that he jumped down from half way up the main- 
rio-o-ino- and broke his leo-. I had to scold Jones 
though a little for that, as the galoot was laid up 
the rest of the voyage." 

"I should think that was rather poor economy," 
said I, "to lose a man's labor for several months 
for the sake of gaining a few seconds time in get- 
ting down from aloft." 

" It paid though, after all," answered the cap- 
tain, " for Jones could get as much work out of six 
men as some could out of a dozen. It's worse 
economy to be too humane with sailors." 



80 ok :board the rocket. 

" If that is being a smart officer I hardly think 
I shall become one," said I. 

" I'll tell you what it is, you'll never make one 
unless you give up some of your conscientious 
scruples. I must say you do very well about your 
work, but you're too humane a man to go to sea, 
and if you want to get along in this profession 
you've got to leave your nice principles on shore. 
There's no religion off soundings. The captain of 
a ship has got to be a liar, a cheat, a swearer, a 
fighter and a tyrant ; in fact, if you mean to be a 
good mate or a good' captain you've got to be a 
rascal." 

" If good principles are good for anything they 
are good for everything," I replied, "and if what 
you say is true, either this is a profession no one 
ought to follow or else religion is a sham and 
ought to be hove overboard entirely. A good 
God would never have imposed laws upon us 
which would interfere with our necessary occupa- 
tions, and I don't believe he meant the Golden 
Rule to be confined to the shore." 

" That all sounds very fine " said the captain, 
" and perhaps you'd better knock off going to- sea 
and set up for a parson. But you mark my words, 
if you go to sea, you'll have to give up your prin- 
ciples sooner or later, and you may as well make 
up your mind to it now. I've seen a good many 
that started as fair as you've done, but it didn't 
hist long. But here we've got proof right along- 



THE BRICK-WALL THEORY. 81 

side of us. Just look at Mr. Howard's watch 
there. Every time he opens his mouth you see 
them -piling along like greased lightning, and he 
gets half a dozen answers for every order. But 
your men don't answer you half the .time, and 
they move slower than real estate in Chelsea. 

Now if you saw a man walking alongside of a 
high brick wall, and you politely asked him to step 
along a little faster, he'd stop and look at you ; 
but if you told him the brick wall was tumbling 
down over his head you'd see how quick he'd 
make the dust fly. It's just so with a sailor, if 
you are civil to him he w r on't care a curse fur you, 
but if you let him know there's something coining 
down on his head he'll move quick and respect 
you. A man didn't 'answer Mr. Jones once, and 
he just picked up the carpenter's caulking mallet 
and hit him over the head, He never had to 
speak twice to him after that." 

Finding the captain had got back to his favorite 
Mr. Jones, I thought it was of no use to prolong 
the talk, and it being my watch below 1 went to 
my room. Sitting down upon my chest I thought 
of the contrast between the captain's instructions 
and the teachings of home, and wondered if I 
must abandon the latter. It was very evident 
that there w r as not the strict discipline in the 
mate's watch that there was in the second mate's, 
and the . captain's comparisons galled me ; but it 
seemed to me that the discipline in our watch was 



82 ON BOARD THE EOCKET. 

good enough ; the men did their duty well and 
were respectful, except that they were not always 
particular about answering and sometimes walked 
along the deck to ordinary work, whereas the sec- 
ond mate's men always ran, knowing that a belay- 
ing pin or stick of firewood would be hurled after 
them if -they didn't. I felt the captain was right 
in saying that such strict discipline could not be 
maintained, except by working on the fears of the 
men, but the question with me was whether it was 
necessary to be so strict. Our men in a squall, or 
gale of wind, would be just as smart as the second 
mate's. It was only in ordinary and comparatively 
unimportant work that they were at all behind- 
hand, and I made up my mind that a system which 
necessarily required inhumanity and a sacrifice of 
honorable principles must be w T rong, and I would 
have as little to do with it as possible. Opening 
my chest I took out a bundle of letters and se- 
lected one from my father. It Avas an answer to 
one I had written from City Point, in which I 
spoke of the severe discipline which was main- 
tained on board the " Dublin," and the course 
which was required of the officers, and asked for 
advice. 

The reply was as follows : "I see that jou are 
partaking of the responsibilities of life. I should 
wink at some things — not see them. I would not 
be what they call a ' martinet * in discipline, making 
much of little things, and enforcing little rules 



land, ho! 83 

with an air of authority. But I would establish 
my character with the men for good nature, making 
them feel that in not obeying they offend against 
kindness. I do believe that the Gospel contains 
all the principles necessary to guide us in govern- 
ment, and that the ways in which God treats us 
may often safely be adopted. Men are very sensi- 
tive to kindness. If you have opportunity to show 
it without risking authority, it is well. I do not 
believe that it is necessary to speak always in a 
tone of stern authority. I would be very slow to 
strike if I were you. But remember that you are 
now one of the ' powers that be,' and they are 
'ordained of God.' He will help you govern if 
you look to him, for government is a divine ordi- 
nance ; and a third mate is as really government as 
Lords of Admiralty or Secretary of the Navy." 

After reading this over again, I imagined how 
Capt. Streeter would sneer at the idea of influenc- 
ing sailors by kindness, and could almost hear him 
Baying, " The only thing that will influence a sailor 
is a belay ing-pin. Be kind to them and they'll 
only laugh at you." 

When twelve days out the welcome cry of 
" Land, ho ! " was heard in the morning, and in 
the horizon, above a low, narrow bank of clouds, 
appeared the top of the mountain on Pico, one of 
the " "Western Islands," or Azores, at least sixty 
miles distant. This mountain is over 7,500 feet 
high, and can be seen in a clear day one hundred 



84 ON" BOAED THE EOCKET. 

miles at sea. In the afternoon we passed to the 
southward of, and near to, Fayal, then by Pico, 
catching a glimpse of St. George's Island in the 
distance between them. The rich verdure of these 
islands and their elevations — for Fayal has a moun- 
tain of three thousand feet — were pleasant changes 
from the blue and level waters ; and all enjoyed 
that beautiful afternoon as we glided swiftly by 
these mid-ocean oases. Even the captain and sec- 
ond mate laid aside their accustomed scowl, and 
not an oath polluted the balmy atmosphere. St. 
Michael's was passed on the starboard hand in 
the evening, and the next day we came up with 
an English schooner bound from London to St. 
Michael's, but steering for Spain. Capt. Streeter 
told the skipper that he had sighted the island the 
evening before, and gave him his longitude. The 
schooner turned about and steered in the other 
direction. 

It was blowing a pleasant westerly breeze this 
day ; but at noon a school of porpoises came dash- 
ing along, passed the ship's bow without stopping 
to play around it, as they are so fond of doing, and 
made away towards the north-east. The captain 
said it was a sure sign that the wind was coming 
from that quarter; for sailors regard it as an estab- 
lished fact that porpoises either go " head to the 
wind," or else towards the quarter of a coming 
breeze. 

The porpoises and the captain were right this 



MOTHER CAHEY'S CHICKEN - . 85 

time. The wind gradually hauled around by the 
N. to N.E., and by night the ship was braced sharp 
up on the port tack. The Mother Carey's chickens 
were flitting about in the ship's wake very actively, 
uttering their feeble chirps with more animation 
than usual. The captain, noticing them, and at 
the same time perceiving a low bank of clouds to 
windward, predicted a speedy advent of the gale. 
He proved a correct interpreter of the signs. We 
were called out in the night to shorten sail, and for 
twenty-four hours were hove to under the close- 
reefed maintopsail. Speaking of the Mother Carey's 
chickens, the captain asked me if I ever had smelt 
one, and said : 

" I once caught one with a hook and line, and 
killed it, thinking I would stuff it ; but I had not 
got far along with the work before the odor made 
me sick, and I hove it overboard. Though it was 
eight years ago, the smell is on my hands still. 
You know they say, that all the sailors that die at 
sea turn into Mother Carey's chickens, and the 
captains into albatrosses; and I expect this odor 
hangs on to me because I love sailors so well. But 
I must give you a chance to judge for yourself." 

A day or two after, in a calm, he shot one at a 
little distance from the ship, and made one of the 
boys jump overboard and swim for it, in spite of 
his dread of sharks. When he had obtained it he 
roused me out of a sound nap to come out and 



88 OK BOABD THE KOCKET. 

smell of it, very much, to my disgust. I found its 
odor was, to say the least, rather disagreeable. 

The afternoon before making the land, the cap- 
tain ordered the mate to get the anchors on to the 
rail and bend the chains. Mr. Morrison proceeded 
to carry out the order, but to his great annoyance 
Capt. Streeter came forward and kept putting 
in his oar, giving suggestions and directions. This 
was a thing so peculiarly in the mate's province, 
which, if one did not understand it, would prove 
him lacking in the lowest qualifications for a mate's 
situation, that the worthy official's temper was 
greatly aroused. He suppressed it for a time ; but 
at each interference his face grew redder and 
redder, and when at last the captain told him that 
the ring of the anchor ought to be brought closer 
up to the cat-head, the storm burst forth, and turn- 
ing around with a fiery face and defiant eye, he 
said, " Capt. Streeter, just go aft and mind your 
own business ; I can take care of the anchors." 

" I want you to know that I am captain of this 
ship, and I'll do what I please," answered the 
captain, pale with rage. 

" I know you're cap'n ; but I want you to know 
the owners put me aboard to be mate, and I've let 
you do my work long enough." 

All the men stood amazed at the mate's daring 
in thus confronting our ferocious captain, and 
looked for nothing short of his being murdered ; 
but to our great surprise the captain cooled down, 



CAPTAIN AND MATE. 81 

and in a mild, persuasive way said: "But, Mr. 
Morrison, just look at the philosophy of the thing," 
(a favorite phrase with him), "you see if that 
anchor — " 

"There's no philosophy about it," burst out the 
mate's sharp voice. " I don't want to have any talk 
with you. I'll only treat you with the contempt 
you deserve," and turning his back towards him, he 
drowned another mild reply by shouting : " Lower 
away the fish-tackle ! " and giving continuous orders 
to the men. The captain, finding himself literally 
checkmated, walked aft, apparently calm, but with 
a tempest raging within. He sat down on the 
booby-hatch, and tried to devise some means of 
humiliating the mate. His schemes always reached 
their culminating point in his brick-wall theory ; 
but when he thought of -the expediency of applying 
it in this case, and letting the brick-wall come 
down on Mr. Morrison's head, he muttered : " He's 
such a fiery tempered man, I guess it won't do." 

As soon as the mate had got the anchors placed, 
he told me to secure them and to clear up, and 
then went aft, thinking he might as well settle 
matters now, if they needed any more settlement. 

The men all took sly glances after him, and 
whispered to each other that they thought there'd 
be a fight now ; and some offered to bet the mate 
would come out best. The captain was very much 
the mate's superior in size and build ; but the 
latter was a perfect tiger when aroused, and was 



88 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

just as fearless, in fact, as the captain in his 
harangues to his officers pretended to be. 

As soon as he got aft the captain caught a glance 
of his eye, and his brick-wall plans were entirely 
dispelled. In a conciliatory tone he began, "Mr. 
Morrison, I think there's no need of your getting 
so excited about a little thing. You know every 
one has their little ways." 

" I know you have," said the mate, " and very 
contemptible ones they are. I came aboard of this 
ship with as good a will as ever a man had, and 
meant to do my duty faithfully, but you've inter- 
fered with all my work; you stop every job that- 1 
get under way, and though I've been twenty-five 
years to sea, I'm not trusted even to bend a jib or 
brace the fore-yard." 

"But you know I'm captain of the ship, Mr. 
Morrison." 

" Then you ought to keep in the captain's place, 
unless there's nobody below you that knows any- 
thing. But from the first day I came on board, 
you've undertaken to do my work, and you don't 
know whether I am capable of it or not; and 
you've done it so poorly, I'm ashamed to have the 
ship go into port. I've always seen a captain show 
some respect to his mate ; but you never have a 
civil word for me on duty, and your silly, lying 
stories don't make up for it." 

" You must make allowances," replied the cap- 
tain ; " you can't expect a man always to be smooth- 



ROPE-YARN TEA- 89 

tempered. When Mr. Jones was with me, I — ; " 

" Mr. Jones was a fool, if all you sa}^ of him is 
true," interrupted the mate. " No one with any 
respect for himself can make allowance enough for 
you ; your knock-down principles and vile language 
are disgraceful." 

For every word the captain advanced, the mate 
brought out two dozen, and so fast there was no 
interrupting him. At last the captain found a re- 
treat by noticing that the sails were lifting, and he 
gave the order to brace forward the yards and take 
in the lower-studdingsail. Going to the cabin he 
for once left the mate to work alone, and after- 
wards found some relief to his pent up rage by 
calling the two boys to come aft with a watch- 
tackle and taughten up the ropes. 

There was kept hanging up in front of the cabin 
a fathom of ratline stuff, doubled up and seized, 
so as to make a loop for the hand and bring the 
two ends together. Slipping this over his hand 
and shaking the ends, he called out the ropes to 
the boys, and if they made any mistake, or were 
not quite lively enough, he gave them what he 
called a dose of rope-yarn tea, by bringing the 
" cat " down on their backs. This treatment made 
them so bewildered and frightened that they made 
all the more blunders, and half of the time got 
hold of the wrong ropes, giving the captain an 
excuse for beating them to his heart's content. 

He found this such a good relief for a pent-up 



90 ON BOARD THE EOCKET. 

temper that he frequently put it in practice, when 
galled by the mate's contempt and indifference, 
and all through the voyage the boys were made 
the scape-goats for Mr. Morrison's sins against the 
captain. 

That evening the captain told me that if the 
night was fine he expected to sight Cape Spartel, 
the point of the African coast at the entrance of 
the Straits, before morning, as it was mountainous 
land and could be seen sixty or eighty miles. At 
2, a.m., the lookout discovered it on the starboard 
bow. I went into the cabin, and waking up the 
captain said to him : 

" Cape Spartel is in sight, sir ! " 

" What ! " said he, in a very sharp tone. 

I repeated it, and went on deck. 

Soon the captain came out and after looking at 
the land, without addressing any one, began to 
swear in a loud tone, saying, " I expect my officers 
will take charge of the ship soon, for even the 
third mate undertakes to tell me what land we 
make." A good deal more followed about "mak- 
ing them know their place." 

When he had gone below I asked the mate, 
what all this breeze meant ? The mate asked me 
what I said to the captain when I called him, and 
then said to me, " The old man must be raving 
because you said Cape Spartel is in sight, instead 
of saying ' there's land in sight.' ' 

" Well, I must say, he is stuck up," said I. " I 



OVERHEARD, 91 

asked him the other clay what the longitude was, 
and I thought he was going to eat me up, he gave 
me such a savage look, and all the satisfaction I 
got was the information that it was the first time a 
third mate had ever asked him such a question. 
He makes so free with me telling his dirt} T stories 
and spinning yarns about Mr. Jones, that it didn't 
occur to me I was going to insult his dignity by 
asking such a question. 

" I could tell him," said the mate, " that he is 
the first captain I ever knew to spin yarns to his 
third mate. His dignity begins at the wrong 
place. If he wants his officers to respect him, he 
must show himself worthy of respect, instead of 
being the blackguard that every true man must 
loathe." 

There was this peculiarity about the cabin, that 
sounds from the deck could be heard there very 
distinctly, and as the mate was in the habit of 
holding forth to me in a night-watch concerning 
the captain's character, that individual often got 
the benefit of it. It was contrary to his idea of 
discipline also to have any conversation carried on 
between officers on duty, and only a few days 
before he had told me that he did not wish me to 
talk with the mate. 

All these remarks just made found their way to 
the captain's opened ears. To put a stop to it he 
came out on deck, and passing by us walked aft 
without saying a word. Upon looking in the bin- 



92 ON BOAED THE ROCKET. 

nacle he saw by the compass that the ship was a 
point off her course, and jumping to the rail he 
drew out a belaying pin and struck the man at the 
wheel two or three blows on the head. He then 
went around the lee side into the cabin, and the. 
mate coming aft found the helmsman crying, and 
learned the cause. 

The next forenoon brought the ship into the 
Straits of Gibraltar, and the interesting scenery did 
a little towards relieving the ill-humor which had 
settled on all both fore and aft, in consequence of 
the events of the last twenty-four hours. The 
wind was from the eastward, dead ahead, and as 
the ship beat from shore to shore through its length 
of fifty miles, striking and constantly changing 
views were presented by the rugged African 
mountains on one hand, the more fertile Spanish 
hills on the other, and ahead, the noble aud world- 
renowned Rock of Gibraltar, three miles in length 
and 1600 feet high. Its outlines well represent a 
crouching lion, an appropriate symbol of its silent 
batteries, ready at a moment's notice to pour forth 
destruction upon an approaching foe. A strong 
current runs almost always from the Atlantic into 
the Mediterranean, though modified by an easterly 
wind, and this helped the " Dublin " to windward, 
so that at night she passed Gibraltar looming up 
high and dark against the starlit sky. 

That evening the captain tried his usual panacea 
upon my moodiness, I being the only officer he 



WHERE CHRIST WAS BORN. 93 

seemed anxious to propitiate, for reasons best 
known to himself. His conversation comprised 
stories about " Mr. Jones," and explanations of the 
"philosophy of the thing" as applied to currents, 
which in this case he demonstrated, that as water 
cannot always run into a place unless some runs 
out, there must be a hole underneath the Isthmus 
of Suez to let it run through iuto the Red Sea. 
And then he evidenced that he was not insensible 
to the influence of the noble scenes and historical 
interest which had surrounded us that day, by 
remarking how much of a charm it gave to sea-life 
to visit such interesting localities, and he added : 
" How pleasant it is too, to think that we are going 
to visit the land where our Saviour was born ! " 

I was almost as much astonished by the fact of 
the captain's mentioning that name calmly and 
soberty, as at the information that Christ was born 
in Italy. I had already measured his stock of 
knowledge, and had received many similar pieces 
of information before, which, knowing the captain's 
conceitedness and temper, I thought it good policy 
not to contradict ; though even my usual reply of, 
"Is it so, sir?" sometimes aroused his ire, as im- 
plying a doubt of his correctness in making asser- 
tions ; such, for instance, as, that Gibraltar belonged 
to France, or that the clouds were six hundred 
miles above the earth, or that the moon had no 
influence over the tides. I felt inclined to try the 
experiment, if it was possible to convince him of 



94 ON BOARD THE EOCKET. 

an error, or rather to make him acknowledge one 
— a matter upon which I had great doubt. I cau- 
tiously said : " Christ wasn't born in Italy, was he, 
sir?" 

" Of course not," said the captain ; "haven't you 
read the Bible enough to know that? I mean 
Europe ; doesn't Italy belong to Europe ? " 

" Yes, sir," I replied ; " but I've always under- 
stood that Christ was born in Palestine, which is a 
country of Asia." 

" Of course he was," said the captain. " I know 
that very well ; and that's just what 1 meant to 
say. We're going to visit that part of the world 
where Christ was born. Europe, Asia and Africa 
make one hemisphere, don't they ? " 

" Yes, sir." 

" And isn't America a separate one ? " 

" Yes, sir : one is called the Eastern, and the 
other the Western hemisphere." 

" OF course it is," said the captain. " I believe if 
you got two ideas in your head at once, it would 
bu'st." He turned haughtily away as though he 
had convinced me of the ignorance of not knowing 
either where Christ was born, or which hemisphere 
the " Dublin " was sailing in ; but for the next few 
days 1 heard nothing more about u Mr. Jones," 
" philosophy," Scripture or geography, but had a 
good share of harsh- sounding orders and snarling 
rebukes when about my work, and the reason of it 
I well understood. 



JAKE. 95 

The winds were rather light and baffling in the 
Mediterranean, and the ship made slow progress. 
But the weather was charming. Sea and sky were 
of that deep blue which is world-renowned, and 
which make this sea emphatically " the blue Medi- 
terranean." Some days, so clear was the air as 
almost to impress one with the idea of the vastness 
and emptiness of space, and when, commonly speak- 
ing, the sky seemed to have disappeared. But at 
evening little clouds would gather about and lend 
their bright hues to adorn the sunset. 

For a week after leaving Gibraltar things went 
on quietly on board ship, and I had great hopes 
that the passage would end peacefully. But it 
must needs be that offences come at sea, and one 
more row had to be passed through before the 
harbor of Genoa was reached. 

There was a man on board called Jake, a power- 
ful " six-footer," and one of the best sailors and 
most cheerful and active of the crew. 

One afternoon, the second mate pointed him out 
to the captain, and said: "That's a good man: he's 
as smart as a steel trap, and a willing fellow, too." 

" Yes," said the captain, " I think he is ; but 
don't you tell him so, for if you do, it won't last 
much longer." 

" No fear, sir," said Mr. Howard, " I don't give 
compliments to sailors very often." 

That night Mr. Howard had the first watch on 
deck, and at about 11 o'clock the wind hauled aft 



96 ON BOAED THE EOCKET. 

a little, giving opportunity to set the studding- 
sails. • He gave the necessary orders at once ; and 
Jake was the first one to get into the rigging and 
mount to the foreyard to cast the heel-] ashing of 
the boom adrift. Pie was not ready with it when 
the others came up with the ropes to reeve, and 
the second mate hurried him up with frequent 
phrases, such as, " Bear a hand ; " " Let's hear from 
you there ; " " What do you say, now ? " and then 
asked : " What's the matter, there ? " 

" The heel-lashing 's jammed, sir," was answered. 

"Bear a hand and clear it then," said he. 

" I'm doing it as fast as I can," said the man, in 
a sharp, surly tone. 

Mr. Howard was not accustomed to have sailors 
talk to him in that style, and he gave him a round 
of curses, and asked him if he knew who he was 
talking to. 

Jake made no reply, but worked away at the 
lashing. 

In a little while Mr. Howard hailed him again: 
" Are you most ready there ? " 

No answer came, and a repetition of the question 
followed, with sundry additions, and, as the officer 
thought, embellishments. 

The reply this time came in the shape of a loud, 
clear " No ! " 

It is considered almost as great an insult to an 
officer as a man can offer, to omit the little word 
" Sir," in replying to him ; and this is at the 



JAKE. 97 

bottom of many a tale of severity, or even murder 
at sea. 

Only stopping to utter one oath, Mr. Howard 
sprang into the rigging, ran aloft and swung him- 
self with one hand on to the foreyard. Jake, seeing 
him coming, had laid out towards the yard-arm, and 
called out to him : " If you strike me I'll cut your 
heart out ! " . 

Ever since the stabbing affray, Mr. Howard had 
enlarged his stock of pocket-tools, and now pulled 
out a slung-shot. Going out on the yard, he stood 
on it holding on to the fore-lift with one hand, 
while with the slung-shot in the other he attempted 
to strike Jake on the head. He missed his mark, 
however, and the shot flew out of his grasp and 
fell on deck. He had on a pair of thin and well- 
worn shoes ; but with these he kicked the man 
until they flew off his feet overboard. By this 
time Jake had crawled in past him, and started for 
the deck. Upon reaching it, he picked up a cap- 
stan bar and took his stand with it over his shoul- 
der, until the second mate was nearly clown the 
rigging, then he suddenly aimed a blow at him 
with all his force, intending to knock him over- 
board. He was too much excited to take exact 
aim, and the bar struck a ratline and broke it, 
grazed Mr. Howard's leg and broke another ratline. 
Mr. Howard jumped upon deck, and the man turned 
furiously upon him,' striking at his head with the 
heavy oak capstan bar, and swinging it about 



98 OiT BOAED THE EOCKET. 

him in a most determined way. The second mate 
dodged and retreated aft, closely pursued by Jake ; 
and one of the boys was so terrified that he ran 
into the cabin and called out to the captain : " One 
of the men is trying to kill the second mate." 
Capt. Streeter never slept in his bed at sea, or 
removed his clothes at night ; but always lay 
stretched out on a sofa in the cabin, with a pistol 
near him, ready for a call. He at once sprang up 
and rushed on deck, and there found Jake swinging 
the capstan bar from side to side, and Mr. Howard 
eluding his blows and making vain attempts to 
close with him. 

"Put down that handspike!" shouted the cap- 
tain. 

But it swung as fast as ever ; and the captain 
now showed more courage than Mr. Morrison had 
given him credit for, by rushing at him just as he 
swung his weapon to one side, and seizing it before 
he could return a blow. With Mr. Howard's help 
he wrested it from him, and telling that officer to 
hold on to him, he seized the end of the crossjack- 
brace (a two and a half inch rope), and beat him 
over the back, until he cried most piteously for 
mercy, and made many promises of future good 
behavior. This did not satisfy Mr. Howard, who, 
as soon as the captain had let him go, put his brass 
knuckles on his right hand, and striking Jake a 
heavy blow, threw him to the deck. He then 
kneeled upon him, clutched his throat with the left 



GtJLF OF GENOA. 99 

hand, and with the knuckles heat him in the face. 
The man gasped out cries and entreaties, saying : 
" Take him off, cap'n ; take him off. Don't let him 
kill me." And at last the captain had to catch 
Howard's arm and say to him: "I guess that'll do, 
Mr. Howard. He's got enough for this time."' 

Jake's face was a sorry-looking object the next 
day, and for some days after ; and he told the mate 
he thought one of his ribs was broken. But he 
kept at his work as well as he could, and always 
was particular about answering Mr. Howard with 
a "Sir!"' 

Things went on again quietly, and in three or 
four days more we were off the Gulf of Lyons. 
The prospect of soon reaching port cheered all on 
board, and all but Jake seemed lively and even 
happy. 

We signalized the ship " Martha Dutton," Capt. 
Cheever, when a day's sail from Genoa ; and it 
immediately after came on to blow a heavy gale 
from the south-west. Capt. Cheever was an old 
sea-captain, and adhered to the prudent rule of not 
approaching a lee shore in a gale of wind, within 
less than the distance of a day's drift (say sixty 
miles), and after awhile he hove his ship to, and 
waited for a better chance to make the land. 

Capt. Streeter kept the " Dublin " running before 
the wind into the Gulf of Genoa ; and as the next 
morning brought a head wind when he was in sight 
of his port, he was very much the gainer for his 



100 OK BOABD THE SOCKET. 

attempt. When Capt. Cheever arrived three clays 
after him, he shook his head and told Capt. Streeter 
he had done the most hair-brained act he ever knew 
the master of a ship to commit. 

The "Dublin "had yet one day more to wait 
before dropping her anchor. The head wind lasted 
until she had beat up within two miles of the mole 
of Genoa, and then it died away calm and con- 
tinued so, with occasional light airs from the shore. 
There was no anchorage, and as the ship slowly 
drifted from one side of the bay to the other, we 
had a fine chance to take a sea-view of the renowned 
city of Genoa. 

It is situated at the head of the Gulf of Genoa, 
and at the centre of an amphitheatre of high, hills, 
which rise quite abruptly from the sea. On either 
hand the mountainous coast stretches away in a vast 
semi-circle beyond the range of vision. The snow- 
capped Apennines tower behind and around it, 
making a noble background to the beautiful picture. 
The city itself rises on the steep hills, whose tops 
for seven miles are lined with forts, so that from 
the sea almost every street can be seen, and the 
tall houses and palaces mount one above the other, 
giving one an impression that a slight convulsion 
might send them all sliding down into the sea. 

The harbor, or mole, is formed by a sea-wall 
extending across the semi-circle made by the imme- 
diate hills, securing anchorage where the vessels 
moor stem and stern with their own anchors. 



QtTATt AjSTIS. iZ. 1 0.1 

This evening as the sun went down behind the 
mountains, a scene was formed never to be for- 
gotten. The beautiful blue sky was lit up by 
brilliant clouds which, reflected in the still waters, 
made the sea almost as glowing as the sky. The 
mountain sides took every shade of the darker 
colors, while their snow-capped peaks blushed with 
the crimson tints of sunset. The next morning's 
sunrise was also a charming scene, but with it 
came what was far more acceptable, a good breeze, 
and the ship was pointed, towards the city. A 
pilot came off to meet us, but refused to come on 
board, as the health officers had not }'et ascertained 
whether the ship had any infectious disease on 
board ; but he told the captain to follow his boat, 
and leading the way into the mole, pointed out 
the spot in the quarantine ground where she should 
drop anchor. The captain went ashore in a boat, 
and was rowed to a flight of steps, which led into a 
small room with no other egress than the door by 
which he entered. A narrow window opened from 
it into another room where were several officials, 
and one of them approached the window with a 
pair of tongs, and reaching them out took from 
the captain the ship's papers. After smoking them 
ia the chimney for a minute, he ventured to in- 
spect them. Capt. Streeter was then ordered to 
return to his ship, and after a visit from the health 
officer, who found everything satisfactory, order 
was given to ah' all the bedding and clothing, to 



102 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

hoist the yellow flag, and remain in quarantine for 
three days, when, if things still appeared well with 
regard to the sanitary condition of the ship, she 
would be permitted to discharge. Capt. Streeter's 
Yankee energy and impatience chafed a little at 
this delay, but in spite of growling and swearing, 
he had to remain in solitary confinement for three 
days, and when at last the order for release came, 
and the ship was allowed to take her place in the 
tiers, he went to work at discharging with an en- 
terprise and will that created astonishment, not 
only to the Genoese, but to all the fleet. Every 
morning they were waked up by the song of the 
crew, as they commenced at five o'clock in the 
morning to hoist out the tobacco, for it is not cus 
tomary in port to " turn to " until six, and all day 
long such choruses as " Walk along my Sally 
Brown," and " Hoist her up from down below," 
rang over the harbor, with all the force that a 
dozen hearty negroes could give them. When the 
" shanty man " became hoarse, another relieved 
him, and thus the song and work went along, and 
in a fortnight the captain astonished and vexed 
the consignees by reporting his ship as all dis- 
charged and ready for her outward cargo, whereas 
they had allowed her a month's time for this, and 
the intended cargo of marble had not yet arrived 
from the quarries at Carrara. 



CHAPTER IV. 

voyage of the "Dublin." — (Concluded.) 

GENOVA la superha is renowned for its pal- 
aces, but, as seen from the harbor, the build- 
ings of the city, apart from their grand and 
picturesque location, do not inspire one with much 
admiration. 

After a visit on shore to the palaces and churches 
I was so charmed with what I had seen, that I was 
seized with an intense desire to see more of the 
renowned wonders of Italy, and I proposed to 
Mr. Morrison a plan for visiting Rome, and asked 
him what he thought of it ? 

" I don't see why you can't go, if you want to 
spend your money in that way," said Mr. Morrison. 
"The cargo is all discharged, and we've got to 
wait two or three weeks for our marble, so I think 
you can be spared as well as not. The only thing 

103 



104 ON" BOARD THE ROCKET. 

is to get on the right side of the old man, and you 
seem to understand that pretty well." 

The next day with some fear and trembling I 
made my proposition to the captain, and excited 
the breeze I quite expected. 

" I thought something of that sort would be 
coming soon," he said. , " I believe nobody cares a 
curse for the ship except myself. I like to see my 
officers take an interest in their vessel, but I sup- 
pose it's of no use to hope for it. I was mate of 
a ship once for two years without setting foot on 
shore but once, and that was when I was sued for 
breaking an old shellback's head and had to go to 
court. I never knew Mr. Jones to ask for liberty 
all the time he was with me. He was a man who 
took pride in his ship." 

" I am sure I feel an interest in the ship," said I, 
" but I've often heard you say yourself that going 
to sea is a dog's life, and I don't see why a man 
should be blamed for getting clear of it when he 
can do so without occasioning any disadvantage ; 
and in this case I am sure I shall not be missed 
much, for Mr. Howard and Mr. Morrison both say 
they can get along without me." 

" How long should you want to be gone ? " 
asked the captain. 

" About a fortnight, sir." 

" Weill, I'll give you a Aveek's liberty. You may 
start next Monday morning, and be on board 
again the Monday after." 



ON SHORE IN ITALY. 105 

" But that wouldn't give me time to visit 
Rome," said I. 

" I don't care where you go to, but that's all the 
time you can have," answered the captain. 

The next day I went to the Consul, and got 
him to procure a passport from the minister at 
Turin, and on the day appointed by the captain I 
procured tickets through to Rome, although I 
found the steamers did not connect at Leghorn 
• and I should have to remain there three days. 
But this would give me time to go to Florence; 
I also knew the captain's only motive in limiting 
me to a week was the usual one of discipline, and 
I felt no hesitation at transgressing a little, if the 
question to be decided was whether I should see 
Rome or not. 

I went to the captain with my through tickets 
and told him that I should not be able to return in 
time. He relented a little and said : " Well, get 
back as soon as you can." 

I took this last remark for my instructions and 
starting on my journey, visited Leghorn, Pisa, 
Florence and Rome, spending eight days in the 
Eternal City, and rushing about over its ruins and 
through its galleries in a way that astonished the 
more deliberate travellers whom I met. On the 
seventeenth day I again entered the harbor of 
Genoa, in the morning, and being a little in dread 
of an explosion of the captain's wrath I used my 
knowledge of his character to concoct a little 



106 OiST BOAED TEE EOCKET. 

plan for shielding myself. It worked admirably. 

I had made the acquaintance on board the 
steamer of a gentleman, the U. S. Consul at Ven- 
ice, and I invited him to go on board the " Dublin" 
with me and take breakfast, assuring him of a 
cordial welcome from Capt. Streeter. 

I walked into the cabin and found the captain 
seated there. " Good morning, sir," said I. 

" Oh ! you j^oung blackguard, " the captain broke 
forth, and pausing here one second as he noticed 
the stranger in uniform who had followed, I 
seized, the chance to say, "This is the American 
Consul at Venice, sir." 

" Ah ! how do you do, sir ; I'm very glad to see 
you, sir. Welcome on board the ' Dublin ;' take a 
chair, sir," and in the profusion of his attention to 
the consul the captain quite forgot the "blessing" 
he had been hoarding up for poor me during the 
past week, and when he at last had time to hear 
my story, he only said, " I thought you'd come 
back with some old sailor excuse." 

I felt I had earned my visit to Rome at a cheap 
rate after all, and was highly pleased at this finale. 
The trip made a good hole in my earnings and at 
the end of a six months! voyage I found myself in 
debt to the'vessel. 

The ship was now taking in marble in blocks, 
weighing from three to five tons each. These 
were hoisted on board from the lighters by a large 
" pontoon," which had a great pair of shears and 



LOADING llAKBLE. 10? 

immense tackle- at one end, and at the other a 
wheel and axle to heave with. The blocks came 
up slowly, sometimes two or three at a time, one 
hanging below the other, and as they swung over 
the ship and were lowered down the hatchway, 
they were watched with almost breathless silence 
lest something should give away and let them go 
down through the bottom. But the five hundred 
tons were taken on board safely, and then the 
ship filled up with bales of rags, cases of olive oil 
and boxes of maccaroni. 

Capt. Streeter managed to pick a quarrel with 
almost every man in port that he had dealings 
with. He always seemed to act on the supposition 
that those he dealt with were trying to cheat him, 
and was not at all backward about telling them so. 
The consequence was that he was always in hot 
water, had a lawsuit with the consignee of his 
cargo, and got the reputation, as far as I could 
ascertain from those who had business with him, of 
being either a fool or a liar, or both. 

But after all he was a shrewd man, and the 
result of his bullying and lying was, that nis 
owners had a moderate disbursement account, and 
he thought that would cover a multitude of sins. 

His special antagonist on shore was a Mr. Pasa- 
motti, and having a great inaptitude for getting 
hold of names, he used to amuse me sometimes at 
night by relating his grievances during the day, and 



108 OK BOARD ME ROCKET. 

giving vent to invectives against "Mr. Smashem- 
potter." 

There were a few American vessels in port. 
Every evening visits were exchanged among the 
ships, and each officer became informed of the 
exact character of every ship, whether she was a 
"wild boat," " workhouse," or "good ship;" and 
of every captain, whether he was a " hard ticket," 
"fool," "skinflint," or "gentleman." 

There were three or four regular visitants to the 
"Dublin." The mate of the "Eagle" came with 
long yarns about his captain's daughter, a romping 
lassie, who had a flirtation underway with five 
different captains, all supposed to be bachelors. 
The second mate of the " Example " had curious 
tales of the means his captain was using to make 
the crew desert the ship ; and others brought stories 
of meanness, tyranny, or debauchery, which made 
one blush for the honor of his profession and 
nationality ; while on the other hand, we some- 
times were favored with commendations of captains 
in the highest terms. 

" What was that man doing hanging in a bowline 
over the side of your ship, to-day and yesterday ? " 
asked our mate of Mr. Winthrop, the second mate 
of the " Example," as several of us were seated on 
the poop-deck of the "Dublin" one evening, while 
the captain was on shore. 

" What ! did you notice him ?" 



DEIVESTG SAILOES ASHOEE. 109 

"Yes;" said Mr. Morrison, "I'm no friend to 
sailors, but I think it's a shame to hang a fellow 
out all day long in that way." 

" When he's got a broken back, too, eh ? " said 
Mr. Winthrop. 

" A broken back ! " 

"Something of the sort. But I'll tell you all 
about it. We've been away from home now about 
nine months, and the sailors get fourteen dollars a 
month, so they've got near a hundred dollars due 
them. Sailors are plenty here now, and wages are 
only twelve dollars. Our ship can't get a freight 
at present. I don't know how true it is, but one 
of our consignee's clerks told me that last time our 
old man was here, he cheated his broker out of a 
commission ; and this same man is now doing all 
he can to prevent the ship from chartering. He 
gives bad reports about the seaworthiness of the 
ship, I believe ; but it's a lie if he does, for she's as 
able a craft as there is in these waters ; I don't care 
where the next comes from. When the old man 
found he'd got to stay here some time, he wanted 
to get rid of his crew, but the consul wouldn't let 
him pay them off, unless he gave them three 
month's extra wages, and he thought it would be a 
nice thing if he could make them run away, and 
put a thousand dollars or so in his own pocket, or 
his owner's, I don't know which. So about a 
month ago he began to work them up. He made 
us cockbill the lower and topsail-yards, and then 



110 ON BOARD THE "ROCKET. 

the sailors had to scrub them with a piece of 
canvas and a bucketful of salt water, beginning at 
the lower yard-arm and scrubbing above them all 
the time as they crawled up. The water of course 
ran down on them, and six of them he made us 
keep soaking and steaming for about a week. 
This made most of 'em sick, and Saturda}^ night 
four of 'em came to the old man and told him if 
he'd give them ten dollars apiece, they'd go ashore. 
This he did, and made four hundred dollars out of 
the operation ; and I tell you what, if ever men 
earned their wages those fellows have done it since 
they've been aboard of that packet, for they've 
been worked like jackasses day and night. 

" The next week we drove five more out of the 
ship by hard work and poor grub. The old man 
was greatly tickled by his -good luck, and he 
thought if he could get rid of one more he'd let 
the rest stay, because he thought the ship might 
get too bad a name if every one left. 

" The fellow he picked out was an English chap, 
and he told us to " keep him going." One even- 
ing, after we had knocked off work and put on the 
hatches, I sent him down in the 'tween decks to 
see if there wasn't a stray broom left down there ; 
and it being dark and the 'tween deck-hatches off, 
the chap walked right down the main hatch and 
fell on the stone ballast in the hold. We heard 
him singing out blue-murder, and got the hatches 
off and hauled him up on deck in a bowline. He 



DEIVING SAILOBS ASHOtlE. Ill 

said his back was broken ; but I guess it was only 
badly bruised. When the old man got aboard, 
and we told him of it, he tore round as though 
there was something to pay and no pitch hot. The 
man wanted to go to the hospital ; but the captain 
didn't relish giving him his pay and three month's 
extra, so he let him lie in the forecastle a week 
and have his back rubbed with soap-liniment. 
But the man swore there was some bone out of 
place in his back; and the captain got mad and 
told the mate yesterday morning to sling the fellow 
in a bowline, and make him scrub the copper all 
round the ship outside. T wish you could have 
been aboard to hear the rest of the fun, for the 
mate stepped up to him and said : 

" ' Capt. Murphy, I've done enough of your dirty 
work ; if you want that job done you had better 
ship a new mate to do it.' 

"■ The old man cursed him a few, I tell you, but 
the mate stood his ground, and at last the captain 
told him to go to an unpleasant locality. 

" I've been there the last nine months," said the 
mate, "and got enough of it; so if you please, I'll 
take my wages and leave." 

" You don't say your mate left?" 

" Yes ; the old man tried to pay him off aboard 
ship, but the mate said he wasn't going to be put 
down on the articles as a deserter, and he made 
him Day him off at the Consul's with two months' 



112 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

extra for himself and one for the Consul. I guess 
the old man won't smile again for two weeks." 

" How about the sailor ? " 

" Oh, I got orders to do what the mate had re- 
fused, and I wasn't too high-toned to do it, seeing 
I want to get put in mate. I pitied the fellow, 
though I don't believe he's as much hurt as he 
tries to make out. At knock-off time to-night the 
old man happened to be aboard and the sailor came 
aft and said he was willing to go ashore, so the old 
man gave him a few dollars and he cleared. 
We've only got six men aboard now, just enough 
to keep her in good order." 

"We got clear of sixteen men out of our ship 
at Singapore," said the mate of the " Tempest." 
" The whole starboard-watch left one niffht baa: 
and baggage and not one of us knew it aft till 
morning. We kept 'em holystoning and scraping 
from dawn to dark, and licked 'em about every 
other day on an average. They left about ninety 
dollars a piece, I believe ; at any rate I heard the 
old man say he had made $1500 by the opera- 
tion." 

" There's been a law passed lately " said Mr. 
Morrison, " which I suppose is meant to put a stop 
to this driving sailors out of ships. When a man 
deserts and leaves any wages due him, they have 
to be handed over to the government when the 
vessel arrives home, that is, after taking out enough 
to pay any extra expense the ship has been put to 



DRIVING SAILORS ASHORE. 113 

in getting other men. The wise heads in Congress 
thought that if they could prevent captains from 
making any money by it, they would have no 
inducement to run their crews ashore." 

" But they weren't smart enough," said the mate 
of the " Tempest." " They might have known 
that if a man is rascal enough to rob sailors in that 
way, for that's just what it amounts to, he won't 
make any bones about telling a lie to save the 
stealings. Now our old man put down on the 
articles about seventy dollars paid to each man, 
and fifteen dollars expense incurred by the deser- 
tion, leaving about four or five dollars, which may 
be the Custom House will get. 

"It seems rather hard," said Mr. Morrison, "that 
a ship shouldn't have the benefit of what wages a 
runaway sailor leaves behind him. No matter how 
well sailors are treated, some will almost always 
desert, just on account of their love of change, 
and often will leave a little money due them." 

"I expect it is hard for the captains to make up 
their minds to pay it," said the mate of the 
" Tempest." " But sailors don't often run away 
from a good ship, when they have much money 
due them, except when they want to go to the gold 
mines, or some such thing. I've seen as much of 
this driving men out of ships as most men agoing, 
and done a good deal of it myself too, but I must 
say I think it's a shame, and the sailors need some 
protection such as this law means to give, and I'm 



114 ON" BOARD THE ROCKET. 

not sure but this will come as near to doing it as 
anything can, except abolishing the three months' 
pay law, which is the greatest cause of sailors 
being driven ashore." 

Another evening three or four mates came visit- 
ing, and the burden of our conversation was lady 
passengers. 

"It is always bad luck," said one, "to have 
either a woman or a minister aboard. I never 
knew it to fail yet. It is either a long passage, or 
getting dismasted, or short of provisions, or there's 
a terrible row in the camp. It's bad enough to 
carry one woman, as the ' Eagle ' is going to do, 
but when it comes to taking four or five of them 
and two missionaries beside, as the ' Tempest ' 
does it's the very mischief. I don't believe she'll 
ever reach port." 

" You're an old owl," said the mate of the 
" Tempest." " There's no better luck that can 
happen to a ship than to have a lacty on board, 
mind I say a lady. As to missionaries, I've noth- 
ing to say, for I never sailed with an} r yet, but I 
stand up for the women. I'd be willing to go for 
five dollars a month less wages for the sake of 
being in a ship that carried them." 

" Tell us your reasons," said Mr. Howard, " be- 
fore you expect us to believe you. What good is 
there in having a woman on board ? I don't be- 
lieve there's any bad luck in it, nor do I see why- 
you should be quite so enthusiastic about it." 



WOMEN nr SHIPS. 115 

" I'll tell you my reasons. I've a great opinion 
of woman's influence in keeping the edge on 
men's good manners and principles. A crowd of 
men shut up together on a long voyage are con- 
tinually degenerating into barbarism. They need 
some restraint on their selfishness, and a curb to 
their brutal natures. A woman's presence in some 
measure supplies this. The captain feels bound to 
respect her, if there's anything of the man about 
him, and he's careful how he swears or uses bad 
language. The officers take their cue from the old 
man, and they're not as rough with the crew, and 
the sailors in their turn feel the influence and keep 
on their good behavior when they're around aft ; 
it puts Jack in good humor to see calico fluttering, 
and ribbons flying in the breeze, for I believe 
every true sailor is at heart a ladies' man, though 
he may not have much grace in displaying it. 
The man at the wheel keeps his weather-eye lifting 
when she comes on deck to take an airing, and has 
both his ears unbuttoned to catch any oi* her 
words, and when he gets into the forecastle he 
says : ' Boys, what do you think the old woman 
said this morning,' and then there's a long argu- 
ment about it all dinner time, whereas if they 
didn't have that to talk about, they'd be growling 
about the ship, the work and their grub. The 
good influence has begun already in our ship just 
from knowing; ladies are coming;." 

" How's that," said the mate of the " Example." 



116 ON" BOARD THE ROCKET. 

" Why, my second mate is a great eye-servant. 
He's as mild as a kitten when the old man's out 
of the ship, and' doesn't care whether school keeps 
or not ; but just as soon as the cap'n gets hold of 
the man-ropes to come up the side, he begins curs- 
ing and heaving belaying pins. The old man 
steps over the rail and says to the captain that has 
come on board with him, as they go into the cabin : 
'That's the boy to take care of 'em. He makes 
'em toe the mark.' Last evening the cap'n came 
aboard after knock-off time, when the men were 
at supper, but the 'shocking dickey ' wanted to 
shew off, so he went to the starboard forecastle 
door, and began raving at somebody about leaving 
a marline-spike at the main fife-rail. The cap'n 
heard him as he came over the gangway and sung 
out: ' There, that'll do Mr. Brown; we've got to 
knock off all such talk as that — we're going to 
have lady passengers.' I've sailed with the old 
man three years, and that's the first time ever I 
heard him find fault with bad language. So I 
think I've proved my case, haven't I?" 

"Yes," said Mr. Howard, "you're a good cham- 
pion for the ladies. You'd do to present their 
cause before. a meeting of shipowners." 

" If it's such a good thing for a ship to carry 
women, why is it that shipowners are so down on 
it, and they so seldom allow captains to carry their 
wives ? " asked the mate of the bark " Vulture." 

" One reason," said Mr. Morrison, "is the extra 



WOMEN IN SHIPS. 117 

expense ; it costs something to feed them on a 
long voyage, and they must have more dainties. 
Another is that they sometimes cause detention to 
the ship or occasion a deviation from the vo} r age. 
There was a ship belonging to a Boston firm that I 
used to sail for, that was kept waiting in Calcutta 
for a week after she was loaded, on account of the 
captain becoming a happy father. When the news 
came home, one of the partners handed the letter 
over to the other, and said, ' What do you think of 
that ? ' ' Think,' said he ; ' I think we won't make 
baby-houses of our ships any more.' They made 
the rule, and after that captains had the choice to 
leave their wives at home, or leave the employ." 

" It's a hard place for a woman on board of a 
ship any way," croaked the " owl " again. " It 
isn't natural for them to be shut up for months 
with a crowd of rough 'barnacle backs,' without 
any of their sex to gossip with, and no chance to 
go a-shopping, except two or three times a year." 

"A ship is a hard place for anyone," said I. 
" Going to sea is an unnatural life and a hardship 
to everybody. It's pretty clear from the Bible 
how its Maker regards it, for there it is frequently 
used as a symbol of evil. ' The wicked are like 
the troubled sea,' and ' raging waves of the sea ; ' 
4 he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea ; ' the 
beast of Revelation is represented as rising out of 
the sea, and we read in the description of the per- 
fect state ' there was no more sea.' It is not good 



118 ON BOARD THE BOCKET. . . 

enough to be allowed in heaven. But in spite of 
all its trials and unpleasant features we all like to 
go to sea." 

" Vast heaving there, my friend," said the mate 
of the " Example." " I don't like to go to sea, and 
I never saw a- man yet that would own up to liking 
it." 

" We must be judged by our actions, not by our 
words," said I. " Sea life gets people into such a 
way of ' growling ' that they never know when to 
stop finding fault ; and if you ask them about any 
of their circumstances they'll generally give an 
unfavorable account of them. But after you've 
been growling about sea life for a whole voyage, 
you'll get on shore, and in three weeks' time you'll 
be fretting to be afloat again, and if you don't find 
a ship pretty soon, you'll growl worse even than 
you did at sea. But I'll meet you half wa} 7 " and 
say we prefer to go to sea, in spite of its hardships. 
Against these we have the offset of seeing foreign 
countries, the excitement of constant change of 
place, and the great pleasure of arrivals at home. 
Now, although what was said about the women 
may have some truth in it, yet a woman, who loves 
her husband, may consider his company more than 
an equivalent for the privations of life on ship- 
board; and then, in foreign ports she's always 
made a good deal of, and gets a chance to see 
everything that's to be seen, and enjoy all the 
pleasures of foreign life, so that when you compare 



GIBRALTAR. 119 

her life for a year's voyage, with the hum-drum 
existence she would lead by herself in a small 
country town ; fretting about her good man every 
time the wind blew hard, being the only excite- 
ment she would have in the whole time he was 
away, and I tell you the seafaring woman has 
the best of it.'' 

"Pretty well argued," said Mr. Morrison, "for a 
youngster that knows nothing about it." 

After two months in. port the ship was again- 
ready for sea ; and after a parting growl with Mr. 
Smashempotter, the captain came on board with 
orders to get under way. With a fresh southerly 
wind we sailed into the Bay, and the City of 
Genoa disappeared astern, just as the sun went 
down behind the Apennines. 

Moderate breezes and pleasant weather brought 
the ship again in sight of Gibraltar ten days after 
leaving port, and then a calm took possession of the 
Straits, and the ship lay helpless at the entrance, 
slowly drifting back with the current. 

During this time Capt. Streeter had been re- 
markably pleasant. He spun long twisters to the 
second mate and myself, chiefly about his experi- 
ences in fighting sailors, and even made advances 
towards favoring Mr. Morrison in the same way; 
but was not very successful in this attempt, for 
whenever the mate detected a lie or misstatement 
in the captain's narrations, and this was not seldom, 
he always felt it his duty to contradict it, whereas 



120 ON BOAUD THE BOCKET. 

we appeared to accept everything as gospel. Noth- 
ing provoked the captain so much as to have his 
veracity or knowledge questioned, and this course 
of the mate's threatened to bring on a relapse of 
the captain's " tantrums." 

Toward the close of the day on which we had 
sighted Gibraltar, a breeze set in from the west- 
ward, dead ahead. By nightfall we got abreast of 
the harbor, and all through the night we made 
short tacks across the Straits, only to find ourselves 
in the same place in the morning ; and in the next 
few hours we rather lost ground, as the current 
gained strength with the increasing breeze. So 
the captain abandoned the useless attempt, and 
came into the harbor of Gibraltar and anchored. 

The harbor is on the west side of the rock, and 
is protected by a sea-wall. On all other sides the 
rock ascends bare and steep from the sea-level, but 
to the westward it presents a pleasant slope, and 
on this is the town of Gibraltar with 16,000 inhabit- 
ants, besides a garrison of soldiers ; a narrow sandy 
isthmus connects the rock with the continent. 

The next day I had to go ashore with the cap- 
tain to get some blacksmith's work done for the 
ship, and found a chance to take a hasty glance at 
the place, and was surprised to find so much 
verdure, upon what I had imagined was wholly a 
barren rock ; but to the south of the town is a 
very attractive esplanade. On the north side I 
stood within a stone's throw of the base of the 



THROUGH THE STRAITS. 121 

rock, and looking aloft, saw it towering above me 
in almost a straight wall of 1400 feet. Through 
port-holes near the top, the black muzzles of cannon 
pointed to seaward from the excavated galleries in 
the rock. 

Capt. Streeter was told there was no chance for 
an easterly wind for the next fortnight, and he 
must make up his mind to stop contentedly until 
he saw the rock "put on it's nightcap," as they 
style the cloud that hangs over it, as the certain 
precursor of a " Levanter." 

The prophets and signs failed this time, and the 
next morning a strong easterly breeze was blowing, 
and getting under wslj, the ship passed through the 
Straits under reefed topsails, and was once more in 
the Atlantic. 

The ship was bound to Baltimore, and the direct 
course would have been nearly west, but as westerly 
winds prevail in that latitude, the longest way 
around was the shortest way home, and the ship 
was headed to the S. W. in order to take advantage 
of the N. E. trades. 

We passed between the Canary Islands, enjoying 
their verdure and bold mountain scenery, and saw 
the volcanic Peak of Teneriffe lifting its head above 
the clouds, 12,000 feet from the ocean. Then with 
moderate trades we ran down to lat. 22° N., and 
kept along to the westward, having beautiful 
weather, but rather lighter winds than the captain 
expected. 



122 ON BOAED THE ROCKET. 

The short detention at Gibraltar seemed to break 
up the captain's good mood, and Mr. Morrison's 
provocation soon brought him back to his former 
role of '• sea-devil." 

The ship had carried sand-ballast on a former 
voyage and the " limbers " not having been prop- 
erly cleaned out, whenever the ship rolled heavily, 
the sand washed to the pumps. As they were old- 
fashioned wooden affairs they had not power enough 
to raise it, and it settled on the lower boxes and 
choked the pumps. The vessel leaked a good deal 
and we spent considerable time drawing the boxes 
with the pump hook, which sometimes it was diffi- 
cult to work through a foot or more of sand. 
Then we had to hoist the pump on deck and ram 
out the box with an iron rod. The captain prided 
himself on his skill in hooking the pump box, and 
whenever he heard the warning sounds, he invaria- 
bly came on deck, mounted the flferail and took 
charge of operations. His patience would soon be 
exhausted if not successful, and then his profanity 
was really awful. Every conceivable phrase of 
bad language was summoned to express his petu- 
lance, and once, when baffled for a long time by 
the sanded box, he rattled off a string of twenty- 
three words which haunt my memory as the worst 
utterance I have ever heard. 

In the fine weather of the trades the old suit of 
sails was bent, as the captain said, " She must have 
on her old clothes to tar down in." 



HOW TO CLINCH BT7NTLINES. 123 

The mainsail was bent one afternoon, and in the 
inevitable inspection and criticism which followed, 
the captain informed Mr. Morrison that the bunt- 
lines were clinched into the foot of the sail the 
wrong way. 

" How so, sir ? " said the mate. 

" Wiry, they ought to be rove from forward aft," 
said he. 

" I don't think so, sir," answered the mate ; " they 
ought to be rove from aft forward." 

" But look at the philosophy of the thing," said 
the captain ; " don't you see there'd be more chafe 
on the sail your way ? " 

" No sir, I don't," said the mate ; " the philoso- 
phy is all the other way. They've been bent after 
your fashion before, and the sail we've just taken 
down is about chafed through in the wake of the 
clinches." 

" I've heard the thing argued by intelligent men 
and they all agreed with me," said the captain. 

" If you want to have it done your way of 
course you can have it," answered the mate, " but 
it's wrong, and no intelligent man ever said differ- 
ently." 

The captain, during this conversation gradually 
worked himself into a furious passion, but there 
was something in Mr. Morrison's demeanor which, 
always kept him from giving the vent to his rage, 
as he did with every one else, and after the con- 
versation had been continued a while longer in a 



124 OJST BOARD THE BOCKET. 

similar strain to the above, lie quietly turned away 
and walked towards the cabin, but as he passed me 
he muttered in an audible tone, " I've never been 
insulted before in my life, as I have been by that 
man." 

He worked off some of his spleen that evening 
by exercising the boys with the watch-tackle, and 
giving them a bountiful allowance of his favorite 
prescription, "rope yarn tea." 

But he did not get back into his pleasant mood 
very soon, and he snarled at and picked on the 
officers and made them ugly, and they relieved 
their wrath by growling at the crew, and the men 
in their turn got cross, and pretty soon all hands 
and the cook were in hot water. There was a 
great deal of work going on, and if any of Mr. 
Morrison's men blundered they were very apt to 
get a rope's-ending, and if Mr. Howard's men were 
at fault, and sometimes when they were not, they 
had to dodge their heads for a belaying pin or stick 
of wood. 

Sailors, if they ever chew tobacco, always use it 
when steering, and some can do without it at all 
other times, but must have a " chew " at the wheel. 
One of Capt. Streeter's rules was that every man 
who used tobacco should clean out the spittoon, 
when he went away from the wheel. One fore- 
noon the helmsman said to me : " The man that I 
relieved didn't clean out the spit-box, sir." He 
called attention to it from fear of being taken to 



CLEANING THE SPITTOON. 125 

task for it himself. I asked who it was, and was 
told it was Jake. I was about to call hirn out on 
deck to do the job, when the captain who was 
standing near and heard what had been said, called 
to me and said : " Let Mr. Howard regulate his 
own watch. Give him a call and tell him about it." 

The second mate had just gone to sleep, having 
had eight hours on deck the previous night, and 
when I waked liim up, and gave him the captain's 
message, he was not in very good humor. He 
understood in a moment what the order meant, and 
stepping out on deck he saw the captain standing 
by the weather mizzen-rigging, and so went for- 
ward to the weather forecastle door. As he passed 
the galley he picked up a stick of the cook's oak 
fire-wood, and holding it in his hand called for 
Jake. Jake turned out promptly and came to the 
door to see what was wanted, and just as he 
stepped on deck, Mr. Howard charged him with 
the neglect. Before he had a chance to reply he 
aimed a blow at his head with the stick of wood. 
Jake warded it off with his arm and acting on the 
defensive w r as driven aft hj the second mate, who 
aimed blow after blow at him, which the man suc- 
ceeded in avoiding or throwing off. He was driven 
aft in this way until he reached the cabin. 

A sailor in going aft on the quarter-deck is 
always required to take the lee side, and as Jake, 
rather against his will it is true, was thus trans- 
gressing rules, the captain took the opportunity to 



126 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

come to Mr. Howard's assistance, and drawing a 
belaying pin from the rail he stepped forward 
and said to Jake : " How dare you come aft on th6 
weather side of my quarter-deck,"' finishing his re- 
mark by a gesture, which brought the belaying pin 
down on Jake's head with great force. Being now 
between two fires, he was unable to defend himself, 
and had to take a good pounding before he was 
released to perform the neglected work. 

In the middle watch that night Mr. Howard was 
sitting on the rail leaning against the boat's davit, 
and he fell asleep. Jake perceived his condition, 
and vowing to one of the men he would push him 
overboard, started towards him to do it. The 
other man sprang after him and held him back, 
and in the little struggle that ensued the second 
mate was awakened, and sung out to them to "stop 
that skylarking." For some time after this Jake 
was punished by being ordered never to walk on 
deck, but always to move at a run ; and it became 
a rather ludicrous sight to witness Jake's half-gal- 
lop, as he careered around about his duties. 

Great efforts were made to have the ship look 
well. The rigging was set up, rattled down and 
tarred, the ship was painted, - and every morning 
the crew were exercised at holystoning the deck. 
To do this the men knelt down, sprinkled sand 
and water on the deck, and then rubbed the holy- 
stones to and fro to wear the deck smooth and 
"white. The stones that were used in this ship 



HOLYSTONES. 127 

were of the shape of a brick, only somewhat larger. 

One morning this work was going on, and the 
second mate found one of his men had disappeared. 
He picked up his holystone and went in search of 
him. Just as he got to the forecastle door the 
man, a young sailor called Dan, was just coming 
out on deck with a ping of tobacco in his hand. 

" What are you doing in there ? " said Mr. 
Howard. 

" I've been to get a chew of tobacco, sir," said 
Dan. 

The second mate gave him a few rounds of 
curses, and then struck him over the forehead with 
the holystone, which flew into pieces, breaking in 
the middle from the force of the blow. Dan's 
head was not much the worse for it though, and he 
went back to his work apparently unharmed. 

The captain came on deck soon after, and while 
overseeing the work as usual, he spied the broken 
stone. 

" How did that stone get broken? " he asked of 
Mr. Howard. 

" I just broke it over that nigger's head, sir." 

" Did you, really ? He must have a tough head. 
What was it for ? " 

" Because he left his work and went into the 
forecastle," said Mr. Howard. 

" That's right. Keep 'em up to the work ; don't 
take a word from 'em, or if one of 'em dares give 



128 OK BOARD THE BOCKET. 

you a black look, just pick up the cook's axe and 

split his skull open ! " 

All this was said in a loud tone for the benefit 
of the men, and the second mate was so much en- 
couraged by this endorsement, that the same day he 
broke a deck-bucket against another sailor's head, 
who gave him a "black look," and as a boy was 
coiling up a rope in a larger coil than he fancied, 
he sang out to him : 

" What sort of a way is that to coil up a rope," 
and hurled an iron belaying-pin at him with all his 
might. It missed its mark and made a deep scar 
in the wood-work of the forward house. If the 
captain did not value his sailors' heads very much, 
the same imputation did not apply to his buckets 
or the appearance of the ship ; and this last occur- 
rence was so manifestly unjust, and resulted more- 
over in such an injury to the house, that it brought 
the second mate a mild rebuke from the captain, 
who told him he ought to be careful or he'd kill 
somebody. He seemed to forget that splitting 
skulls open with the cook's axe might probably 
lead to that result. 

All these affairs, which are but samples of many 
others, made the mate and myself still more un- 
friendly to Mr. Howard, and scarcely any conver- 
sation passed between us. But the captain seeing 
this coolness, befriended Howard all the more in 
private, though one night when all hands were on 
deck, he got so furious at the mate's neglect to an- 



BEATING A BOY. 129 

swer his orders, that he hauled off his coat and 
offered to fight the second mate, greatly to How- 
ard's bewilderment, who thought it was rather poor 
business to do all the " captain's dirty work " for 
him and then get paid with the abuse, which be- 
longed to the mate, but which the captain was 
afraid to give him. 

Howard's cruelty and cowardice culminated in 
an act which even the captain had to condemn. 
One of the two boys was named Taylor, and had 
formerly been a servant in the house of a well- 
known senator in Washington. If not one of 
the brightest boys in the world, he was one of the 
most well disposed, and though he had felt the 
captain's " cat " on his back pretty often, nothing 
seemed to interfere with his good nature. It was 
he who called the captain when Jake was attack- 
ing the second mate. 

One evening at clearing-up time, Taylor was sent 
aft on the poop with a broom to sweep the deck 
down. But after sweeping a little while, he rested 
his broom against the house, and commenced mak- 
ing some motions for the benefit of the man at the 
wheel, which seemed to tickle him very much. 
Just then the captain happened to look around the 
corner of the house, and spying master Tajdor's 
proceedings, he put an end to the fun by shouting : 

" You imp, what are you doing there ? " 

" Nothing, sir," said Taylor, beginning to move 
his broom very assiduously. 



180 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

" If that's what you call nothing, I'll teach you 
not to do nothing again ! " and taking him by the 
neck he hauled him along to where the cat was 
hanging at the front of the cabin, and taking it 
down, gave Taylor's back such a dressing as it had 
not received that voyage. He was amply pun- 
ished, to s&y the least, but not enough to suit Mr. 
Howard, who followed the boy forward, and getting 
him forward of • the foremast said to him : 

" What did I send you aft for? " 

" To sweep the deck, sir," answered Taylor. 

" Yes ; so I did," said Mr. Howard, " and instead 
of doing it you must go to skylarking with the 
man at the wheel. The ' old man ' has licked you 
for fooling on the poop, and now I owe you some- 
thing for not doing what I told you to." 

Without further words he struck Taylor on the 
face with a belaying-pin, and followed it up with 
several blows in the same place. The boy's shrieks 
brought the mate forward; but bj r the time he had 
reached the spot, the damage was done, and the 
boy lay fainting upon the fore-hatch with his face 
covered with blood. 

The worthy mate, as soon as he comprehended 
the matter, burst out with some expressions more 
forcible than elegant, and said to the second mate : 

" Mr. Howard, there's nothing of the man about 
you. You're a disgrace to the very name of a 
man. An officer that would treat a boy like that 
ought to be keel-hauled." 



BEAMING A BOY. 131 

The second mate sneaked away aft, leaving the 
mate to take care of the boy. 

The next day the captain missed Taylor from 
the deck, and hearing that he had laid up, sent for 
him. He appeared with his face so swollen and 
discolored that no one could have recognized him. 
Capt. Streeter was quite shocked by the case, and 
gave him proper lotions from the medicine-chest. 
He took a private opportunity to tell Mr. Howard 
that he had been rather too severe this time ; but 
avoided any public reproach of him, not wishing to 
give any further encouragement to Mr. Morrison's 
hostility. 

In all this time I was getting along pretty well. 
The crew had fighting enough from the other offi- 
cers to keep them in respectful awe of "the powers 
that be " without much need of my using my fists 
against them, though the captain kept up his system 
of alternate persecutions and insinuating stories, all 
designed to make me such an officer as he thought 
I ought to be. 

The mate was treated with all the contempt that 
the captain dared to show him, and his naturally 
irritable temper was hy no means soothed by this 
feature of his situation. I sometimes had good 
proof of this by receiving a snappish rebuke * for 
some fault or omission detected by the mate's keen 
eyes. But apart from a momentary exasperation, 
this had no great effect on my spirits, for I accepted 
such occurrences as the inevitable portion of a 



132 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

third mate, and was only thankful that my share 
was no larger than it was. 

As for actual pleasure in the course of my 
duties, that was something I had learned not to 
expect on board the " Dublin." The sole idea of 
the ship as the captain endeavored to direct it, was 
work, work, and every job, whether of putting on 
a seizing or sweeping the deck, was to be done 
with the interest and thoroughness which would 
attend a matter of life or death. Nothing that 
was ship's duty could be called trivial, and if a 
shaving took refuge under a spare spar, escaping 
the boy's broom, it demanded as great an outcry 
as one would suppose belonged to one, who had 
scuttled the ship. In fact it generally received it, 
for if the shaving escaped the officer's eye, it was 
pretty sure to meet the captain's glance, for he was 
very particular after clearing-up time to search for 
something, which would give him opportunity to 
find fault with his officers, and show them they 
had not done their duty. 

The second mate and I had a room in the star- 
board side of the after house, opening out upon 
the deck. The weather being warm, I usually left 
the door open when I turned in, and one morning 
at about five o'clock I was awakened by a tre- 
mendous string of oaths, uttered by the captain in 
a very loud tone just in front of my room. " That 
shows the ambition of my officers," said he. 
" Nothing can be done unless I see to it myself. I 



A SALT FISH ROW. 133 

believe if I should keep in my room one clay the 
ship would go clear to destruction, (only he used a 
more explicit name,) and he went on with mingled 
curses and denunciations about the ambition of 
his officers, in a way that made me tremble. The 
occasion of this display, I learned, was the falling 
of a bundle of salt-fish from underneath one of the 
boats, and it happened that I had sent a man the 
evening before to see that it was well secured, as 
there was an appearance of more wind coining 
during the night. Being before the wind, the ship 
rolled a good deal, and the salt-fish fetched away 
in spite of the sailor's effort at securing it. There 
was no damage done to the fish, but it showed to 
the captain's mind that his officers hud no ambi- 
tion, and he made use of it to let off the cross 
feelings which mates know as a general thing at- 
tend a captain's getting up in the morning, and 
seem to be a sort of morning bitters — an appetizer 
for his cup of coffee. All these things gave me a 
vivid impression of the meaning of the phrase 
" eternal vigilance ; " for no matter how hard I 
tried or closely watched, every little while there 
would be discovered some job which a sailor had 
slighted, or a gasket would get adrift on a yard 
while I was busied with work which required my 
whole attention, and the captain, who had nothing 
else to do but look for such things, would happen 
to spy it, and then would begin his taunting, aggra- 
vating remarks : " Nobody sees anything, biTt me. 



134 ON BOAED THE EOCKET. 

I don't know what they'd do without the old 
man," and so on, in a way that sometimes goaded 
me almost beyond endurance. ^When the captain 
saw this effect, in the next leisure moment he 
would have a yarn to spin or a word about home 
to soothe me again, for he seemed quite concerned 
about my ultimate impressions of my captain. 

I philosophized over all this and comforted my- 
self with the reflection that it was good training 
for me to be under such strict surveillance, and 
then I fell back upon the memory of pleasures 
which had been the result of this voyage, my 
travels in Italy; and often in the nightwatch, I 
sought refuge from my intense broodings over the 
captain's tyranny and harshness, by standing, in 
imagination, by the Coliseum or under the dome of 
St. Peter's, or in gazing with memory's eye upon 
the almost living figures of Raphael and Guido, or 
the statues of the Vatican. The whistling of the 
wind recalled to me the beautiful echoes of the 
Baptistry of Pisa, and the inclining masts, its 
leaning tower ; or, in more sober moods I remem- 
bered my sensations -as I stood by the tombs of 
Galileo, Michael Angelo and Dante at Florence. 

After passing the longitude of Bermuda the 
course was shaped more to the northward, and 
losing the trades, southerly winds and variables 
took their place, and helped the good ship along 
still further. A few days more would end the 



OLD JENKINGS. 135 

voyage ; and I hoped the disagreeable features of 
it might prove to be already ended. 

There was an old negro onboard called Jenkings, 
who was nearly sixty years of age. He had been 
to sea a good part of his life, but was now not 
much more of a sailor than when he first started. 
Being in the mate's watch, poor Jenkings was hauled 
over the coals every day for some bad job or mis- 
take ; and the mate had expended more words 
upon him than upon any two men in the crew. 

The captain was very fond of calling Jenkings to 
him and oivinar him an errand at the other end of 
the ship, telling him to run as fast as he could, and 
the captain stood and laughed at his movements ; 
for his feeble legs made strange work of it, and 
though they moved up and down pretty often, 
made a slow business of forging ahead. One day, 
while watching these movements, he remarked to 
me, as I was sitting on tlie deck near him, strap- 
ping a block : " A man would be a wretch that 
would strike that old thing." And I remembered 
it as evidence that the captain had some tender 
mercies with regard to sailors after all. 

The mate never went farther with him than to 
pull his white beard, or tie him up in the rigging 
by his thumbs. But it was very hard for him to 
do anything to the mate's satisfaction ; and every 
day Mr. Morrison's shrill tones and Scotch accent 
were bestowed most liberally upon old Jenkings, who 
always received his rebukes in perfect silence, but 



136 ON BOARD THE EOCKET. 

with his thick, pouting lips stuck out beyond their 
usual great prominence. 

In crossing the Gulf Stream we found unsettled 
weather, as is apt to be the case in the region of 
this wonderful current, and were busied in taking 
in or setting sail, as occasion required. The cap- 
tain had given orders in the afternoon to set the 
cro'jack; and having just had a dispute with the 
mate, he went into the cabin in a cross mood, to 
get out of the way while the sail was being set. 
When the work was about finished, he was just 
stepping out of the cabin, as I sung out to old 
Jenkings, who was on top of the house : " Let go 
that buntline ; what are you hauling it taut for?" 

"Aye, aye, sir," was the response, uttered in 
rather a testy voice. 

Capt. Streeter was just shutting the cabin door 
at this time, and did it with a force that ex- 
pressed his temper, and this prevented the " sir " 
from reaching his ears. He sprang to windward, 
and seeing me standing by the mizzen-rigging, 
called to me : " Get up on the house and knock 
that old nigger's head off ! " 

I stared at him in amazement, wondering if he 
had gone crazy. 

" Get up there," he repeated, " and give him a 
rope's-end over his back. Don't take an insult 
from airybocly." 

Instead of obeying his direction, I walked towards 
the captain and passed him without saying a word. 



OLD JENKINGS. 137 

Capt. Streeter saw the work must come upon 
him if he wanted it clone ; and with a few bounds 
was on top of the house, and snatching a rope 
away from old Jenkings, that he_ was coiling up, 
gave him some vigorous blows over the back with 
the end of it. " Will you ever speak to one of my 
officers again without saying 'Sir? ' " said the cap- 
tain, as he paused a moment for breath. 

" I always do, sir," answered Jenkings, who was 
wholly at a. loss to understand what all this meant. 

"•You're a liar," said the captain, with a few 
more expressions peculiarly Capt. Streeter's, and 
gave him another Hogging. 

When he had finished, he turned and walked to 

the edge of the house and said : " Mr. A , if 

you ever let a man say aye, aye, to you again, I'll 
serve you in the same way." 

" No one ever said it to me since I've been 
aboard of this ship, sir," I replied. 

" Yes, there has," said the captain. " This man 
just said it." 

." You're mistaken, sir ; he didn't," said I. 

"You call me a liar, do you?" said Capt. 
Streeter, in a furious passion. " I'll teach you to 
know your place. I've treated you so well, you 
think you can take charge of the ship; but I'll let 
you know I'm captain of her yet." He continued 
with such a string of words that there was no 
chance to reply, and I walked forward to set the 
flying-jib, leaving him to talk to the mizzen-mast, 



138 OK BOAED THE EOCKET. 

which he did for some time after, to the edification 
of the man at the wheel, raying and cursing about 
white-livered officers, religion, sailors, and ending 
at last with an anathema on his own eyes. 

Two days after, the water changed from its deep 
blue to green, and the deep sea lead found bottom 
at eighty fathoms. The wind died away as we 
approached the land, and we lay becalmed for some 
hours ; but at last the ship began to move along, 
though there was scarcely a breath of wind to be 
felt on deck. I hove the log in a little while, and 
reported to the captain that the ship was going 
seven knots. He would not believe it, and told 
me to try it again ; but the same result was shown, 
and having occasion to go aloft immediately after, 
I found a fresh breeze blowing there. The top- 
gallantsails and royals were pulling hard, and the 
topsails " stood " most of the time, but the " courses " 
were hanging up and down, without taking a breath 
of wind. 

That night found the ship again in Chesapeake 
Bay, with a Baltimore pilot on board, having been 
fifty days on the passage from Genoa, and a little 
over five months and a half on the voyage. 

It was now the beginning of June. The weather 
was mild and beautifully clear, and a pleasant 
westerly breeze enabled the ship to lay her course 
ap the bay. 

When the pilot comes on board, he is always 
supposed to take sole charge of the ship ; but Capt. 



THE PILOT'S REBUFF. 139 

Streeter could not bear to think of any one super- 
seding him, and sso kept about deck, frequently 
giving orders about the sails or yards. The pilot 
was somewhat surprised by this conduct, but said 
nothing. In the morning, while he was walking 
on top of the house, the captain stepped out of the 
cabin, and seeing that the wind was a little free, 
called out in a loud, pompous tone : " Mr. Morrison, 
set the foretopmast studding-sail; " his manner im- 
plying that he would show the pilot he didn't allow 
his ship to go loafing along, when it could be helped. 
The pilot kept on with his walk, and the sailors 
rove off the gear, rigged out the boom, and hoisted 
the sail up. The captain promenaded about with 
a self-satisfied air, scarcely deigning to notice the 
pilot. But a minute after the sheet had been 
trimmed down and before the ropes were coiled up, 
the pilot altered the ship's course a little, and sang 
out : " Haul down that topmast studding-sail ! " 

The captain disappeared into the cabin very 
suddenly, and let the pilot take care of the ship 
afterward without any interference. 

A calm set in in the afternoon, and we anchored 
off Point Lookout, at the mouth of the Potomac ; 
but in the early hours of the morning, a breeze 
enabled us to. get under way again, and meeting a 
steam-tug, the captain struck a bargain, and the 
little boat took us in tow and brought us by Fort 
McHenry into the harbor of Baltimore, just before 
the sun went down. As much as twenty miles 



140 ok board the uocket. 

below the city we met sailor boarding-house runners, 
cruising in their boats, but refused to allow them 
on board, and the refusal in each case called forth 
a volle}^ of curses and the foulest language. When 
near the city a perfect swarm of boats had collected 
about the ship, hanging on to her channels or sail- 
ing along by her ; and every little while some 
adventurous person would climb up the side and 
attempt to come on board, and if refused, as they 
always were, would use most insulting language. 
One fellow, who persistently took his stand in the 
main channels, and refused to get into his boat, 
was_ accosted by the captain with a belaying-pin ; 
but he coolly drew out a revolver and threatened to 
blow the captain's brains out if he dared to touch 
him. The pilot cautioned the captain not to quar- 
rel with these men, for they belonged to an organ- 
ized gang of rowdies called " blood-tubs," and his 
life would not be safe on shore if he took any harsh 
measures with them. 

I thought Capt. Streeter had attained to the 
highest perfection possible in the use of profane 
language, but these men quite equalled him, using 
epithets and comparisons, shewing that human in- 
genuity had been taxed to the utmost to invent 
new phrases and combinations of oaths. 

After a good many threats of murdering the 
captain and officers when they caught them ashore, 
they one by one pulled in to the wharves and left 
the ship unmolested. The next day the " Dublin " 



PAYING OFF. 141 

hauled in to a wharf, at Fell's Point. The sailors 
had formed great plans for sueing the captain and 
second mate, and anticipated a sweet revenge in 
this way ; but unfortunately they had arrived in a 
slave state, where a black man's testimony would 
not be taken in court, and where also a black sai- 
lor could not be discharged from his ship, unless 
some white man became his bondsman that he 
should leave the state within twenty-four hours. 
So there was nothing to do but postpone their re- 
venge to the indefinite time, when they might 
catch them in New York or Boston. 

A tailor, for the sake of their custom, entered 
into bonds for the men, and after making a pretty 
good bill out of each, shipped them by railroad to 
New York. 

After the sailors were all settled with, Capt. 
Streeter called the mate into the cabin and said to 
him : " Mr. Morrison, I suppose you want to leave, 
since you've told me you're ashamed of the ship." 

" I'm not ashamed of the ship, sir," answered 
the mate ; " I'm only ashamed of the captain. I 
like the ship very much ; I only wish she had a 
master worthy of her." 

The captain brought about this conversation 
hoping that in their last interview he might have 
the advantage, and pour out on Mr. Morrison some 
of the hatred that had been boiling within him 
since they had quarrelled off Gibraltar. But the 
shrewd, sensible Scotchman was too much for Mm, 



142 ON BOAED THE BOCKET. 

and lie saw that if lie got Mr. Morrison's tongue 
into full course lie- should get a greater worsting 
than he had had during the voyage, so he said: 

" Well, if you want to leave, hand in your bill. 
I've had talk enough with you." 

" Tt's the captain's duty to hand in accounts," 
said the mate, " and I should like to have you do 
it." 

Here he was cornered again; so he went into his 
room and got the "portage bill," and paid down 
the wages due him without another word. 

The mate then packed up his things, bid me a 
hearty and feeling good-by, and as he drove away 
from the ship his handkerchief went up to his eyes 
to wipe away a few tears, which came in' spite of 
his self-control, as he thought of the contrast be- 
tween the high purpose and worthy determination 
to do his duty faithfully, which inspired him when 
he joined the ship, and the disappointment and 
hatred which marked the close of the \oyage. 

The mate being disposed of, to the captain's 
great relief, and a deeply muttered curse sent after 
him, Mr. Howard was summoned to his presence, 
and received the reward of all his subservience 
and brutality, by being asked to remain by the 
ship and go as mate the next voyage. 

" I should like to go with you, sir," he answered, 
" for I like you better than any man I ever sailed 
with, but I don't know anything about naviga- 
tion." 



PROMOTION. 143 

" That doesn't matter," said the captain. " I 

want Mr. A to go second mate, and he's a 

good navigator, and if anything happens to me, he 
could get the ship into port." 

I was then called in and to my great surprise 
was asked to remain by the ship until she was dis- 
charged, and go next voyage as second mate. 

"I'm much obliged to you, sir," I said; "but I 
don't think I should suit you very well, and I'm 
not sure that I shall go to sea again. I dare say I 
can find something to do on shore that I am better 
fitted for. I've been brought up to act as a gen- 
tleman, and an officer's life, as it is here, would 
force me to be a very different character." 

" I've always told you, you know," said the cap- 
tain, "that you've got to give up your nice notions 
if you go to sea. But you'll come to it in time. 
I'm not the worst man that goes to sea, and if you 
try to find a better one, you may jump from the 
frying-pan into the fire. If you're determined to 
leave, of course you can go. I never beg anybody 
to go with me, but give me your address, and by 
the time we're ready for sea again, I'll write to 
3'OU and see if you haven't changed your mind. 
You may think better of it after you've been 
ashore a few weeks. I want you to understand 
there are plenty of second mates to be had, and 
good ones too, but I've taken an interest in you 
and think 1 can make a good officer out of you, so 
for your own sake I'd like to have you go again." 



144 ON" BOAKD THE ROCKET. 

I went home the next day. Mr. Morrison had 
preceded me by one day and had reported himself 
at the office of the owner, who received him very 
cordially, and, giving him a chair, told him he was 
very sorry he had left the ship so soon, and asked 
what was the reason. Mr. Morrison said to him : 

u I left because I was not willing to sail with 
Capt. Streeter, and I consider no man with any re- 
spect for himself could sail with him a moment lon- 
ger than was absolutely necessary. His knock- 
down principles, the language he used, and the 
example he set on board the ' Dublin ' were such 
as would shock even a Water-street bully." 

" Dear me, dear me," said the good man ; " I'm 
sorry to hear that. I don't like to have such a 
man in my ship. I'll talk to him and tell him he 
must do differentl}- if he wishes to stay in my em- 
ploy. He never takes an officer a second voyage, 
and I expect something is wrong. I'll look into 
it." 

Mr. Morrison went into no details, but merely 
said enough to excuse himself for leaving the ship, 
and having apparently satisfied the owner that 
there was no blame attaching to him for not re- 
maining by the ship, he bade him good-morning. 

When I got to the end of the story, the pas- 
senger gave a sigh of relief and said : " I'm glad 
I'm not on board the "Dublin." I think I prefer 
the Rocket" 



CHAPTER V. 



JOHN SHEPHAED. 



AFTER passing Amsterdam Island we gradu- 
ally turned our course to the northward, 
and without any delay in the debatable ground 
north of the westerly wind region, we struck the 
south east trades. One evening the vessel was 
slipping along at the rate of seven knots, with the 
wind two points free and the sea so smooth that 
motion was scarcely perceptible. A hush per- 
vaded the ship, that seemed indicative of as much 
peace within the vessel as without. At six o'clock 
John Shephard came to the wheel, and the quiet 
sailing and steady steering inclined me to break 
the usual custom — "no conversation with the man 
at the wheel." "She steers well to-night, does'nt 
she, John? " 

145 



146 ON" BOARD THE ROCKET. 

John blushed up to his eyelids, as was his wont 
when addressed by the " old man." 

" Yes, sir, she steers like a pilot-boat." 

" This is pleasant sailing," 1 added, " if going to 
sea was all like this we would have the old women 
for sailors." 

" It's the pleasantest going to sea ever I saw," 
said John, " and things are first rate all the time 
now ; I never in all my going to sea knew things 
go on so well in the forecastle; we don't have any 
growling or rows with each other, and if things 
could be like this I wouldn't mind going to sea all 
my life." 

"You don't expect to go all your life then, I 
suppose ? " 

" No sir, I came near knocking off some time 
ago, but I had bad luck." 

" How was that ? " I asked. 

" Well, sir, I'm most ashamed to tell you, but it 
was this way : I was at Bombay in an English ship 
when the Sepoy war broke out, and I left the ves- 
sel and joined the army. I was at Delhi, and when 
we took the city I went through the palaces and 
got a good deal of plunder. I had a diamond ring 
that was worth two or three thousand dollars and 
I got a lot of gold coin and jewels that I sewed 
into a beJt and wore around my waist. When 
the war was over I was discharged in Calcutta 
and engaged passage in a steamer for England. 
I meant to go home to Hanover, buy a farm 



MY MODEL SAILOR. 147 

and live there with my old mother, and I had 
money enough to keep us there in comfort. But 
the night before I was to sail I got on a spree, and 
the next morning I found myself lying in a gutter. 
Somebody had taken the ring off my finger and 
stolen the belt from my body, and I hadn't a cent 
left in the world. So I had to give up going home, 
and ship before the mast again. What little 
money I have earned since, I have sent to my 
mother , but I can't get ahead any, and every hour 
in the day I think about that awful night in Cal- 
cutta and what I lost." 

This explained the pensive look that John con- 
tinually wore. I was much touched by his story, 
told with child-like simplicity, his speech with its 
slight German accent striking musically upon 
the ear. 

John was my favorite sailor^ He was a Han- 
overian by birth, and I suppose had some German 
name, but what it was I never knew. " John 
Shephard " was the false flag he sailed under. 
He had made a previous voyage with me and after- 
wards sailed on a third. On the first voyage he 
had been selected by the mate as the scape-goat 
for his ill temper. Many mates who aspire to the 
reputation of being " bullies " thus pick out a 
good-natured, inoffensive man, and hurrah, shout 
and curse at him, while the men whom they know 
would resent such conduct are treated mildly and 
their faults are overlooked. Soon reports came to 



148 OX BOARD THE ROCKET. 

me about that "green dutchman, John," " a per- 
fect galoot," who didn't " know B from a bull's 
foot," didn't "know enough to go into the house 
when it rains," was " enough to make a minister 
swear," and so on. He was sent to do all the dirty 
work, pound the iron rust, slush the masts, do 
"rope-yarn jobs" aloft in a gale of wind, often 
being sent aloft without any explanation of what 
he was to do, and when he got above the top where 
he could scarcely hear, a volley of orders and 
abuse was yelled at him with bewildering effect. 
He certainly at such times did seem stupid, but all 
through the voyage I saw no resentment shown, 
heard no " back answers " and only noticed the 
flush of the cheek that betrayed the wounded 
spirit he so submissively controlled. I began to 
love that quiet, faithful sailor and to protect him 
from abuse whenever I could do so without disor- 
ganizing discipline. 

On the present voyage I noticed that John was 
always placed at the best work. If a cringle was 
to be put in a sail, or a cloth let in, a seizing to be 
squared, or a ratline to be straightened, John was 
called on often er than anyone else to do it. I. 
asked the mate one day : " How is it you put John 
at such good jobs ; do you consider him a good 
sailor-man ? " 

" Yes, sir," said the mate ; " he's just as good a 
sailor-man as there is in the crew. It doesn't do to 
watch him too closely though. If I stand over 



MY MODEL SA1LOK. 149 

him lie often gets flustered and does things back- 
handed, but let him try his own way and he'll do 
things shipshape." 

I was delighted to hear a good word spoken for 
John, and thought much better of the mate for 
his perception and wise dealing. Often have I 
said : " If all sailors were like John it would be only 
a pleasure to go to sea/' He lives in my memory 
as my model sailor, in spite of his deficiencies. 

He was a well-formed man, of medium size, 
straight and compact, with light, curly hair, good 
features, a very clean face with rosy cheeks, and 
blue eyes that were really beautiful in their soft 
expression. His cheerful smile and modest blush 
made it a pleasure to accost him. He was always 
neat in his dress, and though four bells struck 
when he was riding down a stay " up to his ej^es ". 
in tar, he would dive into the forecastle and in a 
few minutes appear to take his trick at the wheel 
with clean dungaree pants and hickory shirt. As 
his clear voice repeated the course, " Nord, nord* 
east, half east," I would go below saying to myself, 
" The ship will be well steered these two hours." 

Where is John now? Has he bought his farm 
yet in the Faderland ? Or has he fallen over board, 
or died in a foreign hospital ? Has he been dis- 
heartened by the harsh treatment of cruel mates 
and become degraded in his habits on shore ? May 
God bless him wherever he is, and through all his 
wanderings bring him safely to the Fatherland ! 



150 0£T BOARD THE ROCKET. 

We attempted a Christmas dinner in the cabin, 
while the sailors had their plum duff in honor of 
the festival. Our table bore a goodly display of 
articles, as regards name, but probably their qual- 
ity would be less attractive to landsmen's palates. 
We dressed in our " shore togs; " appropriate sen- 
timents were uttered, and an original ode was re- 
cited, as follows : 

ODE TO THE ROCKET. 
tune: " Van AmburgWs Menagerie" 

The Rocket is our vessel's name, 

A noble Boston bark. 
Her qualities are known to fame, 

As I need not remark. 
For fourteen years she's ploughed the wave, 

And sailed through every clime ; 
Though billows roar and tempests rave, 

She always comes to time. 

Chorus: The Rocket now we'll praise, 
For she's as good a craft 
As ever dashed aside the sprays, 
Or at the storm-king laughed. 

The captain, first and second mate, 

A passenger beside, 
Are lads as true as ever ate 

Plum duff upon the tide. 
The Straits of Sunda is our goal 

To which we're speeding free; 



ODE TO THE EOCKET. 151 

And now we fill the flowing bowl 
To life upon the sea. 

Chorus : Here comes the fiery Rocket 

With sportsmen smart and gay; 
If birds would not be shot at 
They'd better keep away. 

When with fresh wind and flowing sheet 

We're flying through the foam. 
Our hearts with joy and gladness beat, 

As round the world we roam. 
Or in the calm and tropic night, 

The stars recall to mind 
The eyes, as beautiful and bright, 

Of girls we've left behind. 

Chorus : Speed on thou noble BocJcet 1 
Until the voyage ends, 
And our good fortune brings us 
Once more to home and friends. 

Roll on ye waves, ye breezes blow, 

Swift speed us on our course, 
And soon to Asia's shores we'll show 

The Ensign and Black Horse.* 
And when we step on Java's strand, 

Our double toast shall be 
The glorious old bark BocJcet, and 

The Eomance of the sea. 

Chorus: The BocJcet now we'll praise, 
For she's as good a craft 
As ever dashed aside the sprays, 
Or at the storm-king laughed. 
•The owners' private signal. 



152 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

The vessel bad received a liberal outfit from the 
owners, who expressed the wish that the sailors 
should not be restricted to a diet of salt beef and 
hard bread, believing this to be the most expensive 
way of provisioning a ship, as well as an unsatis- 
factory one to the crew. Accordingly the men 
were allowed " soft bread " every night ; there was 
a good supply of potatoes, onions, and beets on 
board, and mackerel, herrings, tongues and sounds, 
dried apples, corn meal, and pickles were provided, 
in addition to the usual supplies of rice, beans, 
split peas, salt codfish and the inevitable beef, pork, 
and " hard-tack." Molasses and vinegar were 
freely served out, these condiments often making a 
plain meal quite palatable, and one evening in a 
week molasses ginger-bread was furnished in place 
of the " soft bread." In the cabin we had a toler- 
able supply of canned provisions and had no reason 
to complain. I find, however, the following entiy 
in my journal : 

" I feel a strong desire to get ashore and have 
something new to eat. We have a good supply of 
stores, but there is so much sameness necessarily in 
our table fare, that the very thought of meal times 
takes away one's appetite. We had a large stock 
of vegetables and still have potatoes, onions and 
beets, so there is no fear of scurvy. I have some- 
times said that the only advantage I ever discov- 
ered in going to sea, was the ability to eat onions, 
without fear of offending one's associates. But 



DOUBTFUL ISLANDS. 153 

after indulgence in this respect every day for three 
months, I feel willing to renounce this luxurious 
privilege of sea life, and endure the privations of 
civilized society for a while." 

Very small incidents become noteworthy at sea 
and one day was enlivened by the appearance of 
the Malay cabin boy before me, with very solemn 
face, exclaiming, in tragic tones : " Sir ! the ginger 
won't live long." It proved that a jar of preserved 
ginger, having been left open in the pantry, the 
officers had treated themselves in a night-watch, 
thus shortening its life. 

Some little anxiety was caused by some doubt- 
ful islands being set down on the chart, but we 
sailed over their supposed locality without striking 
anything, or seeing any sign of shoal water. 

Those who have examined charts of the sea, 
have noticed frequent interrogation points, which 
indicate that dangers have been reported in the 
localities designated. The charts of the Pacific 
Ocean especially abound with these reputed rocks 
and shoals, and keep the navigator in continual 
alarm, lest one should prove to be a reality. It 
was a wonder to me how these false alarms, as 
most of them are now known to be, could ever 
have been given, but an occurrence, by which I 
myself was deceived, has suggested a plausible ex- 
planation of some of the instances. 

I was sailing in the South Pacific (in the ship 
" California,") in lat. 24° 20' south, Ion. 125° 6' 



154 ON BOARD TEE ROCKET. 

west. We were steering south, with the wind 
north, the sky clear, and the ship going about two 
knots through the water. At 1, P. m., the officer of 
the deck reported to me that there were breakers 
ahead, and on the port bow. I went on deck, and 
saw what appeared to be an extensive field of 
breakers, and also a low island or sand bank, thirty 
feet high, and three miles long, without trees or 
verdure, and with shoals, on which the sea broke, 
extending five miles from it to the north and west. 
The island bore southeast, eight miles distant, 
and the nearest breakers were two and one half or 
three miles distant from the vessel. 

The mate went aloft with me to. the mizzen-top- 
sail yard, and with my marine glass we took a 
good look, and were both entirety convinced that 
what we saw were genuine breakers. The sea was 
very smooth and we could see the swell rolling 
towards us, then cresting, and spreading thin 
sheets of foam upon the water. The island also 
appeared very distinct as seen through the glass. 
I went down on deck with the intention of alter- 
ing the ship's course, but deciding to run a little 
nearer to the breakers, I went up to the foretopsail 
yard to watch them and steer the ship past them. 
I soon noticed that they changed their position 
somewhat, that the ship drew no nearer to them, 
and that there was a perfect calm where they pre- 
vailed. Finally I found the whole appearance was 
an optical delusion, caused by the sun shining 



DOUBTFUL ISLANDS. 155 

upon the glassy swell of the sea, and a peculiar 
state of atmospheric refraction. 

I kept the ship on her course, and sailed through 
the spot where the first breakers appeared, finding 
blue water there, but still observing the breakers 
in the calm spots at varying distances for the next 
three hours, until 4, P. M., when the breeze fresh- 
ened at the west, and the illusion was dispelled. 
The island vanished after being in sight for an 
hour, and I presume was caused by the looming of 
the swell of the sea in the horizon. 

The whole ship's company were deceived by this 
remarkable appearance, and if circumstances had 
not favored my prolonged inspection of it, I should 
certainly have made a report which would have 
added another to the list of doubtful dangers, which 
are combined puzzles and terrors to navigators. 

Fresh south-east trades brought us north at an 
average speed of over' nine knots, for a few clays, 
and carried us to lat. 12° 30' S. Here, according 
to books, we should find the N.W. Monsoon, and 
anticipating it I had followed the sailing directions 
and kept to the westward of the direct course, in 
order to be sure of fetching into . the Straits of 
Sunda with the north-west wind. Instead of this, 
eleven successive days of light south-east, airs and 
calms attended us. Coming at the- end of the 
passage, this delay was very hard to bear, and we 
saw daily the hopes of a " crack passage " dwindling 
away. The tropical sun poured down upon us, 



156 OX BOAED THE EOCKET. 

and with no breezes stirring to alleviate its effects, 
discomfort of body was added to the distress of 
mind. The attitudes assumed on one of these calm, 
hot days, are so expressive of the mental emotions 
entertained, that the reader for further information 
as to how we felt, is referred to our artist's por- 
trayal of the scene. 

The Rocket's cabin was below the poop-deck, 
built in the style called a "trunk," that is, sunk 
part way into the between decks. My room was 
in the forward end, on the starboard side, and a 
small window opening through the " break of the 
poop " admitted sights and sounds from the deck. 
This was often very serviceable in keeping track of 
what was going on when the "old man," as the 
captain is always styled, was supposed to be safely 
out of the way. I also overheard many conversa- 
tions not intended for my ear, and was sometimes 
entertained by the officers' yarns as they sat on the 
booby-hatch in the dog-watch, six to eight o'clock 
in the evening. As this was the passenger's first 
experience of sea-life, they very kindly supplied 
him most liberally with information on that topic. 
Some of the items were of considerable "interest. 
The mate gave most of the stories, but the second 
mate sometimes "put in his oar." One evening, I 
heard the mate describe, in terms that would have 
done honor to a city-press reporter, the construction 
of a new steamer that was to combine two means 
of locomotion. A railroad was laid on her deck, 




Dead calm. Thermometer 90 c in the shade. 



mates' yaexs. 159 

and when she left New York, a train containing the 
passengers started from her stern. When the bow 
of the ship reached Liverpool, the train would just 
get to that end of the ship, having been rushing 
ahead all the time that the steamer was crossing 
the Atlantic. If I remember rightly, the passen- 
gers were only three days in crossing by this double 
method of travel. 

The second mate followed this up with an ac- 
count of a sailing-ship that he was in, which had a 
gangway built around the ship, and the captain 
used to ride around the vessel on horseback with a 
speaking-trumpet, giving orders. The ship was 
lighted by gas. Pipes with hot tea and coffee ran 
to the captain's state-room from the galley, and a 
small railroad was laid on deck to carry the hands 
fore and aft, but it was a horse-car affair, and so 
on. 

The most remarkable story, I felt worthy of 
record, and I will give it in the mate's words. 

" When I was mate of the clipper ship " None- 
such " (she had three decks and no bottom) we 
were sailing in the Indian Ocean bound from 
Mauritius to Calcutta, in ballast. One day, look- 
ing to windward I saw a great splashing in the 
water, which rapidly approached the vessel. I ran 
up the mizzen-rigging and discovered that a large 
whale was coming towards us pursued by a sword- 
fish, which made attacks upon it whenever it could 
overtake the whale. As they nearecl the ship the 



160 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

whale sank a little below the surface of the water, 
and then, seeing the hull of the vessel in the way, it 
rose to the surface, gave one twist of its tail, and 
with a tremendous effort leaped into the air, and 
went clean over the royal-mast head. I never was 
so astonished in my life, and the swordfish appeared 
to be equally surprised, for he stopped and looked 
aloft for half a second, and then making a dive he 
went under the keel of the ship. As he rose to 
the surface on the other side, he pointed his sword 
up straight in the air, and when the whale fell he 
caught it on the point and whirled it round and 
round for nearly a minute. Then the whale got 
off, the swordfish being wearied out, I suppose, 
and both started on another race. After going a 
little distance the whale turned towards the ship, 
and being too feeble now, from loss of blood, to 
take another leap, he struck the ship and swung 
alongside, broadside on. The swordfish came on 
with such force that his sword pierced the body of 
the whale and we felt the jar as it struck the ship's 
side. There they lay thrashing and bleeding. We 
were surprised that the whale didn't move off, as 
we had been going five or six knots, and we also 
noticed that our speed was reduced. The carpenter 
went down into the hold, and found that the fish's 
sword had cut right through the side of the ship, 
and whale and swordfish were made fast to us. 
He got his hammer and bent the end of the sword 
so that it couldn't be pulled out ; and the whale soon 



A WHALE STORY. 161 

dying, we turned into a whale-ship for a while, cut 
it up and tried out several barrels of oil. We shot 
the swordfish with a rifle, but left his sword in the 
plank, and it was cut out when we got home and 
put in a museum for a curiosity. We found the 
greatest lot of trash in the whale's stomach that 
you can imagine — pieces of sailor's shirts, old 
boots, tin pans, glass bottles and preserve-cans. 
There was a very L fine linen handkerchief- with 
some queer letters in the corner, which no one 
could make out. The captain carried it home and 
showed it to a minister, who was a great scholar. 
He said the letters were Hebrew and spelt Jonah ! 
There seemed to be no doubt that this was the 
very whale that' swallowed the prophet, when he 
cut sticks off to sea and got hove overboard in a 
gale of wind. It's said Jonah felt down in the 
mouth after the whale took him in, and no doubt 
he cried and took out his handkerchief to wipe his 
eyes. Then he came out pretty sudden, and must 
have dropped it in his surprise. I've alwaj^s be- 
lieved in Jonah since then." 

One afternoon, when ninety-eight days out, we 
sighted Java Head, the south-western point of 
Java, and at sunset were just fifteen miles west of 
it. This seemed almost like arrival at our destina- 
tion. It is a great relief to the navigator, after 
months of steering bv the stars, to find his reckon- 
ing proved correct by seeing the dry land appear, 
just where his calculations lead him to look for it. 



162 ON BOARD THE EOCKET. 

It tlirilli his mind to think that he has been enabled 
to find his way through pathless wastes, over half 
the circumference of the globe, to a little head- 
land in the eastern seas. He feels a reverence 
for the noble science whose deductions have led to 
this result, and also usually indulges in some self- 
complacent emotions at his own successful applica- 
tion of its rules. Having bearings of the land 
he now knows where he is by sight, and gladly 
leaves his life of faith. He finds, however, that 
this element of security is offset by a vast increase 
of danger. In proximity to the land are rocks and 
shoals, and around them sweep ever varying cur- 
rents. Dark nights and storms envelope and assail 
him, and hours of anxiety are passed, such as are 
wholly unknown in the deep sea sailing. 

This night I was destined to experience the haz- 
ards of coast navigation and to recognize the pre- 
serving hand of God in preventing our shipwreck. 
Knowing my position so exactly, I felt emboldened 
to attempt to work into the Straits of Sunda in 
the night, In the evening a fresh breeze sprang 
up ahead varying from E. S. E. to E. N. E., ac- 
companied by heavy rain-squalls. The night was 
very dark and I remained on deck the whole time, 
except for the few moments occasionally required 
for marking the supposed position on the chart 
and planning the movements of the vessel. We 
made several tacks and at three o'clock in the 
morning, when I supposed we were well into the 



A DANGEEOUS BEEF. 163 

Straits, after a rain-squall had passed, the clouds 
broke away, revealing the old moon just getting 
out of bed from behind a high hill directly ahead, 
towards which we were hastening at a rate of 
speed which would have cast us upon its shores -in 
another quarter of an hour. The bark was imme- 
diately hove to, while I tried unsuccessfully to 
verify my position. Daylight revealed that we 
had been about running into Java Head, the cur- 
rent having set us back S. W. by S. 32 miles in 
twelve hours. So here we were, instead of being 
in the Strait, still at its entrance, not having 
secured any gain from all the night's work, the 
insidious current having robbed us of the fruits of 
our toil. I had been fretting all the night because 
the wind would not haul and allow us to steer in a 
certain direction. I was thrilled and instructed by' 
noticing on the chart that, if I had been permitted 
to take the course I desired, we should have cer 
tainly been wrecked on the dangerous reef extend- 
ing from Prince's Island. How near we came to 
it I cannot say, but that we avoided it was not 
owing to my own skill, but to Him whose hand led 
me in the uttermost parts of the sea. Many a suc- 
cessful navigator in these Eastern waters could 
join rue in acknowledging that in some instances 
his safety has been owing "more to luck than 
good management " as the common phrase goes, or 
as one had better say, to a kind Providence. This 
event gave me an illustration of " Prayer answered 



164 ON" BOAKD THE ROCKET. 

by crosses " and in later trials has helped me to 
say : " Thy will be done." 

The next night, being in very close quarters 
among islands and rocks, I took bearings of a 
light to test my progress, the darkness hiding the 
dangers from view. A light breeze was blowing, 
and the bark moved at the rate of about two knots 
through the water. The light however remained 
on the same bearing, showing that we gained noth- 
ing on it, and I supposed the same strong current 
was neutralizing all the power of the wind. I 
was about to come to anchor to avoid the peril of 
drifting about in the darkness amid so many 
dangers, when a close inspection of the light with 
the marine glass, showed it was not on the land, 
but on board a vessel in shore, sailing with us, and 
on the other side we soon discovered a rock, 
which we were passing quite swiftly, the current 
evidently having changed in the opposite direction. 
This event supplied another moral reflection : the 
importance of measuring by a right standard. 



CHAPTER VI. 



LIFE IN THE EAST INDIES. 

" It is a goodly sight to see 

What Heaven hath done for this delicious land." — Byion. 

" And, oh! if there be an Elysium on earth, 
It is this, it is this." — Thomas Moore. 

THE East Indies is a name generally applied 
to the archipelago lying S. E. of Asia, con- 
taining the islands of Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Cel- 
ebes and others. It was visited by voyagers from 
the Western World in the 16th century, and since 
that time Portuguese, Dutch, English and French 
have controlled parts of its domain. 

I wish I could affect the reader's imagination as 
my own senses were impressed, when, after the 
stormy night, in which we barely escaped ship- 
165 



166 OK BOARD THE ROCKET. 

wreck, we sailed in the early morning along the 
shores of Java, an island so beautiful in its aspect, 
so luxuriant in its productions, and so delightful 
in its varied climates, as to have been claimed by 
many as the veritable locality of the Garden of 
Eden. As we sail along, monkeys chatter at us 
from the trees and rocks that girt the shore ; 
bright plumaged birds are seen on the wing, and 
the dewy air floats off to us so loaded with odors 
suggestive of delicious fruits, that one instinctively 
opens his mouth to devour it. This makes plain 
an idiom of the Malay language. " To take a walk " 
is expressed in that tongue by words meaning to 
eat the air. I can hardly recommend this chame- 
liori diet as a staple food, but it is most excellent 
for dessert. 

Sailing up the Straits of Sunda, the waters' at- 
tract the notice by the curiosities floated on their 
surface. Cuttlefish bones, such as our canaries 
use, cocoanuts, a great variety of fruits and leaves, . 
and even floating rocks, which are found to be 
pumice stone, pass the vessel in continued proces- 
sion. Besides these an evidence of civilization is 
usually noticed in the form of square-faced gin 
bottles, for these abound in the neighborhood of 
the Dutch settlements. 

At Anjer, a little village nestled among dense- 
foliage, " bumboats '' come off to supply the ships 
with fruits and provisions. One of these making 
fast to a vessel, a man climbs up on deck, dressed 



LITE IN THE EAST INDIES. * 167 

in jacket and pants of striped red and yellow cot- 
ton and introduces himself as Paul Jones ; but if 
he visits an English ship he, perhaps, knows enough 
to select a name less offensive in its allusions. 
This boat contains yams (the eastern substitute for 
potatoes), cocoanuts, bananas, fowls, shells, Java 
sparrows, and always monkeys. A sailor some- 
times sets these last loose, and they escape on 
board the ship and retain their liberty. The last 
time I passed Anjer homeward bound, my previous 
experience with monkeys led me to send word to 
the crew that the}^ might buy as many monkeys as 
they wished, but I should charge $10 for each 
one's passage to New York. The consequence was 
that no monkeys were bought: but after getting 
to sea, I found the crew had invested in squirrels, 
which had the art of taking very long leaps 
through the air, so that one was often startled by 
hearing a whiz, and feeling an animal alight on the 
back of the neck. I resolved that in future squir- 
rels should also be excluded from the free passen- 
gers' list. 

Rounding St. Nicholas Point into the Java Sea, 
we sail among small islands, each a perfect gem of 
landscape beauty. All have read of the formation 
of these coral islands ; how the little insects rear 
the structure and die at the water's surface when 
their work is done. Then the drift of the sea col- 
lects upon the coral, earth slowly accumulates; 
cocoanuts are washed up, and taking root, send up 



168 ON BOAED THE EOCKET. 

the tall palm-trees ; finally, the whole island be- 
comes a mass of luxuriant verdure. A glistening 
white sand beach surrounds it, and at a little distance 
it is encircled with a wreath of foam, as the sea 
ceaselessly breaks over the surrounding reef. These 
are the jewels of the eastern seas — the emerald 
brooch with silver setting, fastened upon the bosom 
of the deep. 

Anchoring in Batavia harbor, native boatmen 
row us ashore, giving monotonous grunts as they 
ply their oars ; and pulling up a long canal, we 
land at the " boom," or Custom House. A car- 
riage is secured, a sort of barouche, having four 
wheels, and one seat with projecting hood. A driver 
sits on the. box, wearing a loose bright-colored 
frock, his head covered with an enormous gilt hat, 
in shape like an inverted wash-bowl. Two ponies 
are attached to the carriage ; the driver cracks his 
whip and beats them to enforce a start, but in 
vain. This carriage, in the Malay tongue, is called 
a "cretur," but an Irishman would certainly apply 
that term to the horses, for of all created animals, 
donkeys not excepted, these East Indian horses are 
the most erratic and unaccountable in their move- 
ments. In this case an appeal to the b3 ; standers 
brings a crowd to push the vehicle ahead, until the 
ponies, through fear of being run over, decide to 
get out of the way, and start off upon a gallop, 
which is maintained till the destination is reached ; 
unless they should happen to stop suddenly, stand 



LIFE US" THE EAST INDIES. 169 

on their heads and kick their heels at the driver's 
wash-bowl hat ; or else, turning at right angles, 
dash off the road into a hedge. I was once driv- 
ing in Penang, in the Straits of Malacca, with a 
gentleman, in an American buggy drawn by a 
Sumatra pony ; a horse passing at a gallop infuri- 
ated the animal, and he rushed at his utmost speed 
along a smooth, wide road. At its sides were 
ravines fifteen or twenty feet deep, at the bottom 
of which ran streams of water. No obstruction 
was in sight save a solitary buffalo cart on the left 
hand side of the road ; and because that was the 
only point where he could not have the freedom of 
the whole road, there that pony deemed the path 
of duty to lie. As he approached the cart he 
bolted off to that side of the road, tottered a mo- 
ment on the edge of the bank, and over it we 
went. Flying through the air, I struck my head 
on the opposite side of the ravine, and rolled down 
into the stream under the pony, who looked as 
though he wished he hadn't done it. Some natives 
helped me up into the road, and when I appeared 
on board ship the next morning with my bruised 
and battered face and soiled clothing, the sailors 
cast suspicious glances, and I learned afterwards, 
were quite elated at having detected their moraliz- 
ing captain in the indulgence of a night-long spree 
with such results. This injury to my reputation 
may account for my prejudice against East India 
ponies; but now that I have given them a bad 



170 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

name I have had my revenge. It must be admitted 
that they are indispensable to comfort, with all 
their ills, for the fierce tropical sun forbids noon- 
day walking, and some covered conveyance is an 
essential of life . in the East ; so, in China, each 
person has his sedan chair carried by two coolies ; 
in the Straits' Settlements, his one-horse gharry, 
and in the Dutch places his cretur. Some security 
is given against the waywardness of the ponies by 
the frequent practice of building embankments at 
the sides of the roads ; and some escape their 
dangers by using good horses from Australia, or, 
occasionally, fine Arab steeds. 

The hotel at which we arrive is a two-story 
building., and in the rear extend lines of one-storied 
structures, with wide walks covered by verandahs, 
upon which the rooms all open. Upon my first 
arrival at this hotel I entered the office, but saw no 
person there, unless Mr. Darwin's friends should 
insist that I applied that term to a large monkey, 
who was seated upon the table engaged in pouring 
the contents of a capacious inkstand upon the 
open pages of the hotel register. My presence 
ended this evidence of a dawning fondness and 
aptitude for the fine arts. 

Allow me to describe a day's life as a sample of 
the mode of existence among the foreign residents. 
In the morning one is awakened by a servant en- 
tering the room with a cup of tea : looking out 
upon the verandah, another servant may be seen 



LIFE IN THE EAST INDIES. 171 

engaged in cleaning the shoes. He plucks a flower 
from a plant close at hand, rubs it over the shoe 
and then applies the polishing brush, with brilliant 
effect. This is called the shoe-plant; and nature 
makes another appropriate arrangement in produc- 
ing the soap tree, with the fruit of which the 
hands may be cleansed. Seizing the towels, one 
next proceeds, in his sleeping costume, across the 
court yard to the bath house ; this is a room paved, 
with tiles, containing a large tank of water. The 
mode of bathing is that practised hy the natives. 
Standing alongside the tank the person dips out 
water in a small bucket and pours it on the head. 
This becomes a very favorite method of perform- 
ing ablution. Returning to the room, the sleeping 
costume is laid aside for the habiliments of the 
day ; but it demands a description, for few things 
are more peculiar or essential to a comfortable life 
in the East. It consists of loose trousers, called 
pajamas, and a jacket, called bajou. The pajamas 
are made of colored calico, the more brilliant in 
color and startling in pattern the better. They 
are gathered about the waist with a string. The 
bajou is of white calico, buttons closely about the 
throat and reaches to the hips. This dress is worn 
not only at night, but whenever in the day one is 
free from business or society. The first morning I 
spent in Java I encountered a lady robed in white. 
I averted my eyes, but saw another lady approach- 
ing, and then another ; and rinding them uncon- 



172 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

cerned, I gained assurance enough to inspect their 
costume. I learned that in the Dutch settlements 
in the "East Indies ladies adopt a dress correspond- 
ing somewhat to that of the native women, which 
they wear during the heat of the day, and only. 
appear in European costume in the evening. This 
dress consists of the " sarong," or loose skirt of 
colored calico reaching to the ankles, and the 
" cobaiya," a white sack descending to the knees. 
Sandals are worn, but no stockings. The first im- 
pression upon the masculine beholder is not pleas- 
ant. It seems a decidedly slipshod attire ; but we 
soon become accustomed to it, and admire, at least, 
the good sense that leads to the consideration of 
comfort, rather than fashionable appearance.' 

After the bath the gentleman dresses for the 
day, either all in white or with a loose black sack 
coat. Breakfast is served, consisting of broiled 
fowl, eggs, fruits, &c, and at about ten o'clock the 
carriage takes him to his office. Between twelve 
and one a lunch is served on the business premises, 
the chief item of which is curry. This demands 
description. We have all seen bottled curry pow- 
der, but what is used on the spot is made fresh 
every day. The ingredients are ground upon a 
stone and mixed together. The meat of a cocoa- 
nut is grated, moistened with water and squeezed 
by the hand over the curry powder. Into this, 
prawns, or bits of fowl or meat, are placed and the 
dish is ready. Rice is first taken upon the plate 



LIFE itf THE EAST tKDIES. 1?3 

and curry is added. A tray is handed containing 
a dozen little plates, each holding some kind of 
peppers, pickles, spices or chutney, aud one is sup- 
posed to take a little of each, or else to make a ju- 
dicious selection. A dried fish, called a Bombay 
duck, is broken up over the pile and more meat or 
fowl may be added, or else some fricadel, a 
delightful compound of bread, eggs and minced 
fowl. Finally all is thoroughly mixed together 
and eaten with the aid of a spoon or fork. This 
tastes better than it, probably, sounds to the 
reader's ears, and there is no recollection of the 
East more suggestive and fascinating to a former 
resident than the curry. It seems strange, how- 
ever, that in such warm climates nature should 
crave such heating and stimulating food. 

If it is not steamer-day, the gentleman will prob- 
ably drive home at about four o'clock ; the paja- 
mas and bajou are donned, a book or short nap 
occupy an hour; another bath is taken, and the 
evening dress is assumed, which usually will be of 
white, with a short jacket, such as is worn by 
waiters in our hotels. A walk or drive is taken in 
the cool of the evening, ladies and gentlemen ap- 
pearing without headdress or hats ; or if hats are 
worn, they are light articles, made of cork or pith, 
with good ventilation. They meet where the 
band may be playing, or drive along the charming 
suburbs, or saunter to the club-house. Between 
seven and eight they sit down to dinner, and' get 



174 ON feOARD THE KOCKET. 

up at some indefinite period between nine and day- 
light. The men smoke their cigars between the 
courses, drink liquors throughout the meal, and 
afterwards take a night-cap of brandy and water. 
They retire finally to beds covered with rattan 
mats, and devoid of bedclothes. A lamp remains 
lighted all night in the room, and consists of a 
glass tumbler half full of water, with cocoanut oil 
poured in, and a small wick floated on top in the 
centre. This is the lamp of the East. 

The houses of the foreign residents are one- 
story structures, raised a few feet from the ground, 
built of brick or stone, covered with plaster and 
whitewashed. A broad flight of steps leads to a 
wide verandah, which is supplied with furniture, 
especially easy chairs of luxurious model, and this 
place is the sitting-room and reception hall of the 
family. Within are parlor and bedrooms, and at 
the back of the house is another verandah, gener- 
ally used as a dining-room. One who takes an 
evening's walk, and as he passes each house, looks 
through the dark foliage at the brilliantly lighted 
verandah, with its family and social groups, will 
get a series of most enchanting tableaux. When 
the residents wish to be "not at home," they 
darken the front verandah and get further into their 
houses, so callers are spared useless inquiries. In 
the rear of the house, the servants' lodgings, 
kitchen and bath-house are placed. The kitchens 
are a novelty. A raised platform runs the length 



LIFE IN" THE EAST INDIES. 175 

of the building, and on top of it, or in arches near 
the top, several fires are built as needed, one for 
each dish to be prepared. There is no chimney ; 
the smoke not absorbed by the food, escapes 
through the doors. The servants are numerous, 
and each has his separate sphere. There is no 
" maid of all work '" in the East. Every person has 
his " boy," who hovers about him in all his waking 
hours, and cares for him much as a nurse for a 
child. The boy is called for every trivial service, 
and I have heard the master shout repeatedly for 
the " suppada," as servants are called, and when 
he came running breathless from the rear of the 
house, he was ordered to move a chair that stood a 
few yards off, in order that the luxurious master 
could put his feet on it. 

The vegetation of the East impresses the travel- 
ler with its luxuriant growth and beaut}^ of form 
and color. There is no " Fall ; " all is evergreen. 
The cocoannt trees abound, perhaps, most com- 
monly. The form of its straight stem, with 
branches spreading from the top, and the fruit 
nestling at the summit, are familiar to all. It is 
interestino: to see the natives climb these tall 
trunks to gather the cocoanuts. Sometimes they 
ascend by stepping upon notches cut in the tree, 
-and at others they put a loop of rope around both 
ankles, and seize another loop with both hands, 
their arms encircling the tree ; then alternately 
grasping the trunk with feet and hands they ascend 



176 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

swiftly, and soon the thump of the nuts on the 
ground is heard. Picking up a green one, and 
cutting a hole, you may obtain a -delicious drink of 
sweet water. The " flame tree " attracts especial 
notice in Batavia. Its lower leaves are of a dark 
green, and grow gradually lighter until at the top 
they are straw-colored, forming a pyramid of light. 
Outside the limits of the town one comes to the 
jungle, which may thus be described, partly in 
another's words: Imagine a forest of gigantic 
trees standing together almost like the stalks in a 
wheat field. They are smooth and branchless for 
four-fifths of their height, and then spreading out, 
interlacing, form a complete canopy. Then a 
growth of shorter trees springs up, winding their 
branches in and out among the trunks ; then 
comes a growth of ferns, palms and plants, and 
finally, the whole mass is woven together by a net- 
work of creepers and parasites, from the slender 
rattan to the vine as thick as a man's body In 
the elbows of the trees are many orchidaceous 
plants thriving on the air and sending down their 
shoots into the network below. This jungle is ab- 
solutely impenetrable by man, but the tiger roams 
through it, and lurks on its border for the un- 
wary passer-by. Beyond the jungle may be seen 
the "Paddy-fields," the light green color of the 
growing rice, pleasing the eye in contrast with the 
copper-colored beeches and the purple mountains 
beyond the plain. The graceful bamboo waves in 



LIEE IK THE EAST INDIES. 177 

every direction, and gains respect as being the 
most useful growth of the East, though botanists 
term it only a grass. Its uses are innumerable; 
but two extremes may be mentioned. With it the 
natives build their houses and beat their children. 
The tropical fruits require a word of mention. 
There is the durian, the favorite of the natives, 
smelling, it is said, like a dead elephant, and tast- 
ing, to my palate, like a mixture of nuts and 
onions. The mangosteen, the choicest of fruits ; the 
delicious mango, the pummalow, rambutan, ducoe, 
and banana, — all awaken pleasant memories as 
the favorites of the table. 

The natives are short, homely and copper-col- 
ored, or, as they like to describe themselves, " the 
color of gold." The men dress in jacket and 
pants, with the sarong wrapped about the waist, or 
hung loosely from the shoulders. The women 
wear the sarong and cobaiya previously described, 
and their general appearance so much resembles 
that of men, that it is sometimes difficult for an 
impartial eye to distinguish the sexes. The teeth 
are filed and stained black from chewing the betel 
nut, as it is deemed unbecoming to have " white 
teeth like a dog." The houses are of bamboo, 
covered with a thatched roof, and mounted on 
posts, and the front-door steps consist of a ladder. 
The food is chiefly rice ; but if report is true 
many revolting creatures are devoured, and worms 
and white ants are occasionally taken "as a relish." 



178 ON BOAKU THE ROCKET. 

The buffalo is a member of society that deserves 
notice. A hump on his back serves to hold the 
yoke, and he is driven by a string tied to a ring of 
rattan passed through the nose. After work they 
delight to stand in the river or canal, and with 
only their heads above water, enjoy a cooling off. 
The Dutch Government requires every native, who 
walks after dark, to carry a torch. This is com- 
posed of stems from the cocoa-nut tree, and is 
fanned into flame as the holder hears an approach- 
ing footstep. They vie with the fireflies in making 
the night attractive. 

Many customs are striking to the visitor. The 
woman walks in front of the man, so that she may 
regulate the pace as she desires, a refinement we 
might copy. After marriage the husband goes to 
the bride's home and resides. A man leaves his 
property to his nephews and nieces, not to his own 
children, for he casts a slur upon female virtue by 
saying : " A man may be sure his sister's chil- 
dren are of his own blood, but who knows that his 
own are?" 

Descriptions of life so luxurious as that of the 
East Indies may seem attractive and fascinating to 
dwellers in the harsh, northern climes ; but there 
are compensations. The enervated East Indian 
resident sighs for the cold winter, the bracing 
sleigh ride, the animating change of seasons, culti- 
vated society, the intellectual stimulus of scientific 
investigation and literary criticism, and though 



CAKIMATA PASSAGE. H9 

myself partial to the East in many respects, I 
would say with England's poet : 

"Better fifty years of Europe than a cycle of Cathay." 

In sis days the cargo destined for Batavia was 
landed, and on a Saturday the vessel cleared for 
Singapore. The wind was ahead and it was a dif- 
ficult and dangerous task to work out among the 
many shoals that lie in the harbor. No pilot could 
be obtained, and every one advised me to wait till 
Sunday morning, and start with the fair breeze 
that was sure to blow in its early hours, I had 
scruples about sailing on Sunday if it could be 
avoided, yet feared censure if I detained the ves- 
sel, so I resolved to make a start. We got under 
way, shot between the shoals and cleared the ship- 
ping in safety. We passed our Sunday quietly 
sailing across the Java Sea with the fresh N. W. 
Monsoon. 

We had the task before us of beating up the 
Carimata Passage against a head monsoon and an 
opposing current. It was a difficult undertaking, 
often requiring weeks of fruitless labor, and a 
month was allotted for the passage to Singapore by 
our friends in Batavia. On a previous voyage I 
had found a disadvantage in having the crew en- 
gaged in work, which sometimes prevented prompt 
attention to the maneuvering of the vessel, indeed 
I considered once that I lost a day or two by being 
prevented from tacking ship at the moment de- 



180 ON BOAED THE EQCKET. 

sired. Now I gave orders that no jobs on the rig- 
ging, that were unnecessary, should be undertaken, 
but that the crew should be kept standing by to 
work ship. This then received sole attention. 
The sails were always trimmed, the yards braced, 
and with every favoring variation of wind we 
tacked and retacked, fighting our way with inces- 
sant vigilance by day and night, slowly gaining 
ahead in spite of the opposing forces. We steered 
by rocks and shoals, shot through the narrow 
Panambanga Channel off the west coast of Borneo, 
and then, with a steady beat through the Southern 
China Sea, we gained the Singapore Strait, and 
anchored in the harbor of Singapore eleven days 
and a half from Batavia. This was an exciting 
passage. Sailing night and day in those narrow 
waters, occasioned a great tension of nerves and 
limited the opportunities for sleep. One night in 
particular remains in vivid remembrance, when 
near dangerous shoals, out of sight of land, and 
uncertain where the current might have drifted 
us, the hours of anxiety seemed like years, and in 
the morning I looked in the glass with a half- 
serious apprehension lest my hair had turned gre}^, 
according to stories we read of such effects being 
produced by strong emotions. But there were 
pleasant days, when gliding slowly by the ever- 
green islands, through the smooth blue waters 
full of minute objects of interest, with distant 
mountain ranges to rest the eye upon, life seemed 




The midnight catastrophe. 



SINGAPOEE. 183 

as full of romantic enjoyment as the imaginations 
of fabled story. 

Upon arrival at Singapore m}^ first indulgence 
was in a good all-night's sleep in bed, which one 
learns to appreciate after days and nights on deck. 

On one of the few occasions during this passage, 
when I had an opportunity to catch a nap on the 
cabin sofa at night, I was greatly alarmed by being 
aroused from dreams of shipwreck, by water pour- 
ing over me from a jug upset by the swinging open 
of a locker door. Anything that happens to " the 
old man " is considered important on shipboard, 
and this was deemed worthy of illustration. 

At Singapore we discharged the rest of our 
cargo and loaded a quantity of tin, gambier and 
gutta percha. We remained twenty-three days 
here, most of the time being spent in waiting for 
the merchants at Penang to purchase cargo, as the 
vessel's appearance at that port while they were 
buying would have made the native traders put 
up their prices. So we hid away at Singapore, and 
a very pleasant hiding place it was. 

The first novelty that greeted our arrival was an 
assemblage of canoes and boats. From the former 
small boys dived for coin, thrown from the vessel, 
catching them before they descended far below the 
surface of the water. From the latter were offered 
us fruit, birds, monkeys, shells and corals, the last 
named being especially beautiful. A whole boat 
load of these at " a hard bargain " was secured for 



184 ON BOAED THE BOCKET. 

seventy-five cents. The appearance of the town 
is very picturesque, luxuriant foliage appearing 
amidst the collections of white houses, and hills 
rise in the rear covered with nutmeg and fruit 
trees, while near by the fertile jungle dips its abun- 
dant growth into the sea. Many pleasant hours 
were passed on shore; the fascinating hospitalities 
of luxurious homes were enjoyed ; a picnic in the 
midst of the jungle nine miles from the city af- 
forded a splendid view of tropical scenery ; and a 
drive to a cocoanut plantation of five hundred 
acres showed how European enterprise is econo- 
mizing the fertile products of the East. One even- 
ing especially remains prominent in agreeable 
recollection, when I dined with an old Boston 
friend. The table was spread on the rear veran- 
dah where the trees waved close to us, and the air 
was full of delicious odors and the singing of in- 
sects, their differing notes seeming like tunes. 
Truly life in Singapore is fascinating. 

There were a number of American vessels here 
waiting for freights to improve in different ports 
of the East. In order to save expense they desired 
to discharge their crews, but, three months' extra 
pay being required by the consul, they either had 
to add to the lack of employment the further in- 
fliction of supporting an unprofitable crew, or 
drive the men to desertion by acts of cruelty and 
oppression. Every day almost there was some row 
in the harbor on board an American ship, and this 



THREE MONTHS' EXTRA PAY. 185 

law and its results was a continual topic of dis- 
cussion. 

In a work entitled " Among our Sailors," the 
author, Dr. J. Grey Jewell, formerly Consul at 
Singapore, speaks at some length about the law 
requiring three months' extra pay for seamen dis- 
charged abroad, and concludes: "I am convinced 
that the law is a good one and that it should 
stand." 

During some years' experience in command of 
vessels 1 formed the opinion that this is not a good 
law, and further that there is no enactment con- 
cerning our merchant marine so injurious to sailors, 
so vexatious to shipmasters, so unjust to ship- 
owners, or so corrupting to its executors in its in- 
fluences. I believe most of those familiar with its' 
operations will approve of my pronouncing it a 
great curse. This law was made in the beginning 
of the century, when Americans manned our ships, 
and when these vessels visited ports seldom fre- 
quented, where the discharge of a seaman might 
often leave him in destitution, with no means of 
returning home. Now our ships are chiefly 
manned by foreigners, who are more at home in 
foreign ports than in those on our own shores, 
where only we may discharge them; and com- 
merce has become so extended that few places are 
visited by ships whence ready exit may not be ob- 
tained. 

Some instances of the operation of this law will 



ON BOARD THE EOCKET. 



best explain its evils. A European crew were 
shipped in an American vessel at San Francisco 
for a voyage to Liverpool, the shipping articles 
containing the clause, made customary by the law 
prohibiting discharge of seamen abroad, "and 
thence to a final port of discharge in the United 
States." At Liverpool the men wished to leave 
and return to their homes in Norway and Ger- 
many, or sail on other voyages. The ship was to 
remain for several weeks in Liverpool and then 
sail for San Francisco again, and the men had no 
desire to go in that direction. Wages in Liver- 
pool were lower than those paid this crew from 
California, so the shipowner's interest demanded 
that he should not be obliged to support and pay a 
useless crew for the weeks his ship was idle, and 
that he should be allowed to man her for a new 
voyage at the lowest rate of wages. On- applica- 
tion to the Consul by the captain and sailors, in- 
formation was given that the crew might be dis- 
charged, but one month's pay must be given to the 
Consul, and two months' pay extra to each sea- 
man. The crew, in order to be released, offered to 
return the two months' pay to the captain, after 
signing a receipt for it, but the captain, desiring to 
avoid the unjust imposition altogether, gave the 
wages to the mate, who privately handed them to 
the sailors, and they took their departure. The 
captain next reported to the Consul under oath, 
that his crew had deserted without his knowledge 



THREE MONTHS' EXTRA PAY. 18? 

or consent, but the Consul, finding out that the 
men had received their money, insisted on the pay- 
ment of one month's wages at his office. Another 
vessel shipped a crew at San Francisco to be dis- 
charged at Liverpool, but still this extra payment 
was required. 

A few years since a dozen American ships, one 
of them under my command, arrived at a port in 
Asia. The trade they were engaged in was de- 
pressed and they were doomed to remain idle for 
several months. . The ships were manned by for- 
eigners, and the captains deemed it their duty to 
the owners to avoid paying and feeding full crews 
for several months, when they had no need of their 
services. Steamers and vessels in various trades 
were arriving and departing daily, affording oppor- 
tunity for the men to obtain employment and leave 
the port. Application was made to the Consul for 
permission to discharge the crews, which was given 
on condition of compliance with the three, months' 
pay law. This no one cared to do; and the "fair 
means" being deemed unfair to the owner foul 

means were employed. The captain of the S 

told his men they had better leave, but, hoping to 
secure the two months' extra pay, they declined. 
Orders were given to the mate to work them up 
and drive them out of the ship. Pie accordingly 
hung planks over the ship's side, one foot under 
water, and made the sailors stand on them and 
scrub the ship's copper with sand, keeping them 



188 OK BOARD THE ROCKET. 

always on the sunny side of the ship. It was the 
month of June. The tropical sun poured upon 
the men's heads, while their feet were in the water, 
and glanced upon their bodies from the copper 
they were polishing, giving no small torment. 
One man ventured to go on deck and complain, 
but the smart mate soon thrashed him into submis- 
sion. That night half of the crew deserted. 

Attached to the Consul's office was a shipping- 
master, who gave personal attention to all details 
of business connected with crews, the Consul 
merely expounding the laws to inquirers in his 
inner office, and maintaining the dignity of the 
U. S. Government in a general way. The ship- 
ping-master was in close alliance with the police of 
the place, and the arrest of the deserters from the 

S was soon reported to him. He thereupon 

informed the captain that the men must be re- 
ceived on board again, but by mutual agreement 
a certain sum was paid to the shipping master for 
each man, and they were reported to the Consul as 
deserters. The remainder of the crew were soon 
got rid of, and the rest of the ships followed suit, 
paying $10 to $15 per man to the shipping-master. 

My own crew were much attached to their ship 
and were unwilling to leave. I would not allow 
them to be oppressed in order to drive them away, 
and the owners were forced to submit to the 
expense of maintaining a large crew, besides the 
loss occasioned by the idleness of the ship. After 



THREE MONTHS' EXTRA PAT. 189 

some time, half of the crew, knowing that they 
were not wanted, and were only a burden, con- 
sented to leave ; but the Consul, in reply to the 
application, held up the three months' pay law, and 
my choice was to keep the men or pay sixty dollars 
each besides the wages due. 

In this dilemma the shipping master offered to 
allow the men to " desert," upon my paj-ing him 
fourteen dollars apiece, which was to be called 
" two weeks' board." 

I felt compelled in justice to my owners' interest 
to adopt this plan, and connive at the rascality by 
which an unjust law was evaded by those entrusted 
with its enforcement. The matter was arranged so 
as to do no violence to my conscience in the matter 
of oath and declaration of desertion. 

This shipping master, after a short term of ser- 
vice was able to buy a half interest in a large 
ship, and probably approves of the three-months' 
pay law. The previous Consul is said to have 
taken away eighty thousand dollars after a few 
years' residence. 

The owners of the ship I commanded are a firm 
on whom Dr. Jewell, in the above-mentioned work, 
has cast severe aspersions, and it is due to them to 
say that at the close of the voyage, while admitting 
that a less humane captain would have made a 
more economical voyage, they thoroughly approved 
of my principles, and said they did not mind losing 
a thousand dollars now and then in support of 



190 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

them. They however remarked that Capt. , 

who was a notorious sailor driver, sailed his ships 
cheaper than any other captain in their employ, as 
he never had a sailor remaining by the vessel in 
port. A few weeks after this conversation it hap- 
pened that news was received that Capt. 's 

ship had put into Rio Janeiro with a mutinous 
crew, and some of the sailors had been shot by the 
captain. Considerable expense and delay to the 
voyage was caused by this, and the owners were 

overheard to say that Capt. should never have 

another chance to put one of their ships into port 
in distress. They saw thai the question of economy 
was not always against the "humane captain." 

The above facts, selected as samples from a 
multitude, illustrate the assertion that the three 
months' pay law is : 

First, An occasion for the exercise of much 
cruelty to the sailor, and often obliges him to have 
the disgrace of desertion attached to his name, in 
order to secure the release from his ship which his 
interests demand. 

Secondly, It obliges captains to resort to wrong 
or questionable acts to secure their owners' in- 
terests, and involves them in many unpleasant 
controversies. 

Thirdly, It is a heavy tax on the ship-owner, 
and is one among several causes of the decay of 
our commerce. 

Fourthly, It furnishes great temptation to corrupt 



THEEE MONTHS' EXTKA PAY. 191 

action on the part of consuls, and has, in too many 
cases, brought disgrace upon the flag they represent. 

What remedy is there ? will be asked. 

In 1840 an Act was passed authorizing consuls 
to use discretion in enforcing the law in cases of 
discharge by mutual consent. This in 1856 was 
repealed and the law is now strenuously insisted 
on. Some other nations permit the free discharge 
of crews where good reason or mutual consent is 
shown, and where the Government is assured of 
freedom from expense. Let the present law be 
wholly repealed, and give consuls power to dis- 
charge men freely, where satisfaction is given that 
they will not become a burden upon the United 
States. This satisfaction should be a proof of the 
employment or shipment of the sailors, or else a 
deposit of money for a limited term, or a bond for 
the payment of any future expenses incurred, which 
might be collected at the port of entry in the 
United States. 



CHAPTER VII. 



SINGAPORE. 



LEAVING Singapore in the early morning, we 
turned into the Strait of Malacca, and with 
perfectly serene weather and light but varying 
winds we slipped easily along through its smooth 
waters. The land was always in sight, with its 
eternal verdure, and often we glided by gems of 
islets that were beautiful enough to grace a para- 
dise. " Eternal sunshine gilds " these shores, and 
one who would enj'03^ the dolcefar niente to per- 
fection, should have his easy chair on a good ship's 
deck, with sheltering awning overhead, and sail in 
the N. E. monsoon season in the Eastern Archi- 
pelago. 

Occasional puffs of wind favored us, and in the 
short time of four and a half days we sighted Pulo 
Penang, and ran through the narrow South Chan- 
nel into its harbor. 

192 



fENANG. 193 

Penang may be described as lovely and hot. It 
is situated on a plain, and to the westward and 
seaward rises a high mountain, shutting off the 
sea breezes, which might refresh the heated brow. 
This mountain, however, is a noted sanitarium, and 
on its top a cool climate may be found, which is 
often eagerly sought for its bracing effects upon 
the heat-debilitated frame. The American Consul, 
a worthy Scotchman, had rented a bungalow on the 
summit for a month. He kindly invited the pas- 
senger and myself to spend a night there in turn. 
The passenger went first, but soon the sad tidings 
were brought that he had been thrown from his 
horse and broken his neck. The authority for this 
statement was that a soldier had told a sailor so. 
Both professions, fortunately, were at fault and the 
passenger returned in due time with his neck in 
good order. His only explanation of the report 
was the statement, that his pony was so small that 
he placed his feet on the ground and let the ani- 
mal gallop away from under him. 

In my turn I ascended the hill, and spent the 
night, returning in the cool of the morning. 
The deep ravines with their walls of verdure, 
the beautiful views of the island, the sea and 
the main land beyond, the delightful coolness of 
the air, the wonderful specimens of vegetation, 
such as the air plants, hanging luxuriantly from 
the branches of trees, fed by the air and rain on 
their surfaces, the traveller's palms, with stores of 



194 ON BOAUD THE BOCKET. 

fresh water kept in their hollowed leaves for the 
thirsty wayfarer, and the tree-ferns, twenty feet in 
height, all these with the strangest bird melodies 
imaginable made the trip one of enchantment. 
One bird and a beetle made noises like a sawmill, 
another bird sang the scale descending — five notes' 
at least, and still another sang it ascending. One 
more imitated the sound of a bell. At the foot of 
the waterfall that descends the mountain, baths 
are established. The Europeans assemble there in 
the evening and after the external application of 
water, too frequently take an internal application 
of " brandy cocktails." 

The military band plays weekly on the " Sepoy 
Plain," back of the town, and a pleasant gathering 
of the residents takes place. 

An orphan-house and mission was being carried 
on here by some devoted English missionaries, who, 
like their friend Mr. Miiller of Bristol, working 
independently of Societies, looked to the Lord to 
provide. Their Christian fellowship, and the hours 
spent in searching the Scriptures with them, were 
precious privileges. 

We were a fortnight here, loading tin, nutmegs, 
mace, tapioca and india rubber, and then sailed for 
Paclang, where we were to complete our cargo 
with coffee and cassia. 

We beat out from Penang against a head wind, 
and with a slant reached across the Strait of 
Malacca. We then found light breezes to waft us 



NEARLY SHIPWRECKED. 195 

along the north coast of Sumatra, "the Pepper 
Coast," as it was known to our East India mer- 
chants of Boston and Salem in earlier days. A 
pleasing change here occurred in the landscape. 
It is so rare to see ground not covered with verdure 
in these regions, that the sight of Golden Mountain 
near the north-west point of Sumatra was quite a 
treat. It is a finely-formed peak and has much 
bare ground on its sides, which appears golden in 
the intense sunlight. This was an enjoyable clay, 
but an anxious night followed. We were sailing 
pleasantly, with all studding-sails set, through the 
passage between Pulo Way and Pulo Rondo, twelve 
miles wide, when at midnight the wind died away 
and the current swept us toward the island. There 
was no wind to make the vessel steer, a cast of the 
lead proved there was no bottom at sixty fathoms, 
so we could not anchor, and an inspection of chart 
and sailing directions showed that the rocks arose 
perpendicularly from deep water. No human de- 
vice could save us from shipwreck, and unless a 
breeze sprang up off-shore our bark would soon 
break in pieces against the rocks. For this breeze 
I earnestly prayed. All hands were called on 
deck; a long length of chain was overhauled with 
the intention of letting go the anchor at the last 
moment, in the forlorn hope of its finding bottom, 
and then the crew were stationed at the braces 
ready to trim the yards the moment a breath of air 
might be perceived. I stood at the stern watching 



196 ON BOAED THE EOCKET. 

the Hearing approach of the dread rocks, which now 
loomed through the darkness in frightful proximity, 
and wetting a forefinger I held it out to catch the 
first trace of a breeze, but in vain ; until, when the 
last hope was about to expire, and a few minutes 
more were expected to seal our doom, I perceived 
the faintest air imaginable breathing off the land. 
The yards were immediately braced, and the effect 
was to turn the vessel's head from the shore. I 
dropped a fishing-line over the stern, and watched 
to see if it would trail out ; but it hung up and 
down showing that the vessel had no headway. 
Soon, however, an additional breath came, then a 
little puff, and to my exceeding joy, I felt the line 
give a slight pull at my fingers as it stretched out 
into the wake. Then the water rippled along past 
the rudder and we slowly but surel} r glided away 
from the dangerous coast. Among many recollec- 
tions of peril and anxiety, that calm hour, when in 
utter helplessness we looked destruction in the 
face, will remain prominent for its intense emotion, 
and the occasion it gave for thanksgiving to the 
Hearer of prayer. 

The West coast of Sumatra is faced by an in- 
numerable number of islets, rocks and shoals, out- 
side of which lie a chain of larger islands. "We 
kept out in the open sea until off Padang, pre- 
ferring a more circuitous but safer route than the 
direct passage along shore. Here we could sail 
day and night, without anchoring when darkness 




!j| I ) '-V ■! 



1 










]-" ! 


i.':' 









Despair. Off Padang for six days. 



WEST COAST OF SUMATRA. 199 

or squalls hid the way. But our progress was 
slow and the passage became tedious and trying. 
In the day time light airs and calms prevailed, 
the hot sun poured down its rays with scorching 
intensity, and the air was so clear that we once 
saw a peak one hundred and six miles distant. 
At night heavy squalls of wind burst upon us, 
with torrents of rain and terrific peals of thunder ; 
the balls of fire, called by the sailors corposants, 
blazed at the mast-heads, and the lightning was in- 
cessant. When sixteen days out from Penang we 
sailed through Siberet Straits, and the next even- 
ing just at dark we were within fifteen miles of our 
anchorage at Padang. A dark squally night pre- 
vented our running in, and a heavy N. W. gale 
and southerly current drove us a few miles south 
of the port. For the next six days we were hard 
at work trying to make these few miles, but as soon 
as we gained a little, a calm prevailed and the cur- 
rent set us back again. The water was too deep 
for anchorage and we were entirely dependent on 
the wind, which, however, coquetted with us till 
endurance almost ceased to belong to our virtues. 
The captain's state of mind as he descended bare- 
footed to the cabin after having stood on deck in a 
rain squall, which was vainly expected to bring a 
breeze, may be suspected by a glance at our artist's 
sketch of the posture assumed upon the cabin 
sofa. 

Six days of this harassing work made me so des- 



200 OK BOAED THE ROCKET. 

perate that I took advantage of a long continued 
squall to run in a dark night along the dangerous 
reefs, and guided only by the roar of the breakers 
gained a position, from which the next day we 
were able to work into Paclang Roads and anchor 
inside of the beautiful Island " Pulo Pisang," or 
Banana Isle. 

After safely anchoring at our long desired 
haven, a crew of native boatmen manned the 
bark's boat and pulled me to the town of Padang 
two miles distant. We rounded Apenberg, the 
hill to which its chattering monkeys have given a 
name, and ascended a river a short distance to the 
landing place. 

When the preliminaries of business were trans- 
acted, my consignee kindly invited me to reside at 
his house, and I enjoyed' the change from a cabin 
to a luxurious home. At daylight I visited the 
vessel, returning on shore after breakfast. The 
house was built of wood with wide verandahs in 
front and rear. Posts about six feet high sup- 
ported it from the ground, leaving a space under 
the house for air to circulate, and rogues also as it 
proved ; for a few weeks before my arrival a rob- 
bery occurred, and it is supposed, in this way. 
The thieves went under the house and bored holes 
in the floor of the sleeping room, through which 
they introduced the smoke obtained by burning 
the leaves of a narcotic plant. The inmate being 
stupefied, the thieves broke in at the front door, 



PADANG. £01 

robbed the house and took away an iron safe that 
was chained to the bed of the sleeper. They were 
so sure of their work that they stopped in the 
garden to open the safe, but being unable to do 
this, they carried it to the beach and buried it in 
the sand, where it was found the next day with its 
contents intact, except a few small articles of jew- 
elry, which the thieves had managed to shake out 
through a small opening they had made. New 
York or London could hardly surpass this. Many 
thought the house servants must have been abet- 
tors, as they were accustomed to sleep on the ver- 
andahs outside the thresholds of three entrances 
to the house, so that anyone entering must step 
over them. Nothing could be proved against them, 
and we repeatedly had occasion to step over their 
bodies at night and open the doors when returning 
at late hours, and at such times entrance was often 
effected without disturbing their sound slumbers. 

The first Sunday in port, I left the officers to 
conduct the services and attended the Dutch 
church on shore. I asked the captain of a Dutch 
vessel to accompany me, but he said: "No, it is 
not respectable to go to church here, and I am 
ashamed to." I told him our Lord's words about 
those who are ashamed of Him ; but that didn't 
trouble him, so I went alone. I found one Euro- 
pean civilian present, but not one lady, and some 
soldiers and half castes. They first sang with 
great deliberation a Psalm from a book which had 



202 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

the notes printed over each line; then followed a 
prayer, hymn, half of the sermon, two contribu- 
tions, the remainder of the sermon a hymn and 
benediction. During the sermon any one, who felt 
tired of sitting, arose and stood for a while. After 
service I spoke to the minister in the ante-room. 
He and all the men lit their cigars, and after a 
short chat and smoke they all went puffing towards 
home. The next Sunday I gladly went on board 
and was refreshed by the cheerful vigor with which 
the sailors sang the hymns: " When I survey the 
wondrous cross," and, "Just as I am, without one 
plea." The services were held on deck and the 
singing must have rung over the harbor. Return- 
ing on shore, I called on board of a Dutch bark 
and found a party assembled, among whom was 
the organist of the church, all drinking brandy 
and smoking, the minister being absent from town 
that day. 

One clay I attended the ordination of a Malay 
(Mohammedan) priest. The Mohammedan religion 
is here intermingled with many of the ideas and 
practices of heathendom, and it is the custom to 
test the worthiness of the candidate for the priest- 
hood by placing around his waist a band contain- 
ing long needles with the points against his abdo- 
men. He then at a given signal runs toward an 
appointed goal. The people give chase and en- 
deavor to strike the needles inwards and kill him. 
If he escapes, he is deemed to have established his 



THE HEATHEN". 203 

fitness for the office, thus making legs and not 
heads or hearts the necessaiw qualifications. On 
this occasion the Dutch soldiers were present in 
force to prevent this barbarity, and the ceremony 
was restricted to a procession, praying and reading 
the Koran. 

There are few places in fhe world as lovely as 
Padang. The evening drives along the roads 
bordered by the tall arching "arrow trees," with 
views of ocean and mountains on either hand, are 
amongst the most charming recollections I retain 
of any land where I have wandered. Kindly hos- 
pitalities join. to heighten such charms. 

The interior of Sumatra is most wonderful. 
There you enjoy a temperate climate, Swiss and 
tropical scenery combined, an eternal spring and a 
fertility of soil almost beyond belief. The sugges- 
tion made to me, of taking a plantation, raising 
coffee and leading a life of exile in a paradise, 
might have been very tempting, but for the restric- 
tions the Dutch government imposes upon all 
trade and enterprises, and the obstacles presented 
by the uncouth Dutch language. 

Here " every prospect pleases " and man is no viler 
than he is elsewhere. Contact with the natives of 
Asia and the East Indies has raised my opinion of 
"the heathen." The average of them appear as 
virtuous and upright as the mass of men in Chris- 
tian lands. I have really seen less frequent display 
of vice than I have in our cities, and have noticed 



204 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

many pleasant exhibitions of family affection, 
kindness and honesty. The people in the interior 
of Sumatra are represented as being remarkable 
for virtue, temperance and integrity; and even on 
the coast they must be admitted to compare very 
favorably with the foreigners about them, whom it 
is said they speak of contemptuously among them- 
selves as "drunken Europeans;" but they readily 
contract their vices. Christianity unquestionably 
elevates all whom it reaches, but our civilization 
alone has proved no moral blessing to those who 
have experienced its influences in the distant 
regions of the earth. 

After lying at Padang for a few days a bark ap- 
peared in the offing, and with the spy-glass I dis- 
covered that she had our owner's flag at the main. 
I started for her in my boat, introduced myself to 
the captain and piloted him into an anchorage. 

Capt. Blowhard was a stranger to me, but I was 
much pleased to have the companionship of a 
countryman in this far-off port. As we passed the 
Rocket, he remarked she looked very well, only she 
was rusty outside. We had finished painting her 
the day before, so this comment excited my sur- 
prise; but I soon discovered the captain's eye-sight 
was defective, and I had the pleasure of supplying 
him with a pair of spectacles. We went on shore 
together, and I introduced him to his consignee; 
but the polite Dutchman was startled at seeing the 
captain swing his legs over the arm of the chair 



CAPTAIN BLOWHARD. 205 

and monopolize all the talk with boasts about his 
clipper bark and her performances. In the even- 
ing I took him to drive, and attempted to point out 
the sights of the place and the beauty of the 
scenery, but his attention was not to be secured ; 
during the whole of the drive he kept his face 
toward me, and poured forth a continuous stream 
of narrative aud self-adulation. I learned that he 
had resigned the command of one of the finest 
ships in the world to serve his country. He passed 
highest in examination on Navigation, was ap- 
pointed executive officer of a large frigate, and 
soon, for his valor, was given the command of a 
gunboat. After a celebrated naval battle his ves- 
sel was so riddled with shot, that she was sent to 
Alexandria for the Government to inspect as a 
curiosity. President Lincoln and a committee from 
the Senate visited her and gave the captain public 

thanks for his brave conduct. Commodore 

remarked that there were only three gentlemen in 
the Volunteer Navy : Smith, Jones, and Blowhard. 
At the close of the war he was offered a position 
in the regular Navy, with a splendid command, but 
he declined, saying he only had desired to serve 
his country, and he wished no reward. I was 
much impressecTwith all this information, and his 
invitation to breakfast on board the next morning, 
with so brave, polite and magnanimous a man, 
inspired me with gratitude and awe. I went on 
board to breakfast and was politely received. His 



206 ON BOAED THE EOCKET. 

politeness was then exercised towards his steward, 
who, being unable to find the napkins (which prob- 
ably were not often used,) was led around the 
cabin by the ear until they were discovered, the 
captain remarking to rne, "He's a good-natured 
nigger or he'd have been killed long ago." The 
meal was enlivened by frequent abuse of this poor 
darkey, and I was not sorry when it was time to 
go on shore. We went in the same boat, and as 
the captain continually talked with his face toward 
me, I perceived, what I certainly thought were the 
fumes of whiskey; but I discovered the injustice I 
had done him, after a while, when he remarked, "I 
bought some Cologne at Batavia, and it's the queerest 
stuff I ever saw ; it smells just like whiskey. I put 
some on my handkerchief just before I left the 
vessel, and I thought I'd mention it to you lest 
you might think I'd been drinking, which I never 
do." This should be a warning to temperance 
men to be careful in their choice of eau de co- 
logne. We dined together at the hotel that clay, 
and the captain entertained the whole company 
with his conversation. At one time, addressing a 
remark to a young Dutch officer, the latter replied : 
"No speak Engleesh," when the captain rejoined: 
"Eveiy gentleman speaks English." The officer 
understood this and accepted it as an insult. 
Withdrawing from the table he found friendly 
assistance in concocting an English note, challeng- 
ing the captain to fight a duel with broadswords. 



HOMEWABD BOUND. 207 

But this met with no response from the captain. 

Our friendship did not grow, and the sentiment 
of kindred nationality failed to continue in its 
first ardor. 

On Sunday afternoons we had services on deck, 
under the awning. I invited Capt. Blowhard and 
his crew ; but the captain said he didn't approve of 
letting the crews of different vessels mix together, 
so we held our meetings by ourselves, with the ex- 
ception of a few Dutch sailors from a neighboring 

vessel. As the Hocket and the " F " were both 

homeward bound and in the same employ we felt 
much rivaliy about the passage and some interest 
was excited among the merchants over the anticipa- 
ted race. As the " F " was reported the fastest 

vessel and her captain was certainly the most dash- 
ing man, the bets were in her favor. Having less 
cargo to take in, she was loaded first and got three 
daj T s start of us. 

One calm morning we drifted out of 'Padang 
Roads and slowly worked our way southward in 
search of the Trades : but when obtained, pleasant 
breezes and fine weather favored us. After pass- 
ing Mauritius we took " a streak " of strong S. E. 
and E. winds which put a new face upon matters. 
Our dull start had made us feel hopeless about the 
race, but now we seemed to be gaining time and . 

the thought of the ""F "ahead kept sail from 

coming in many a time when prudence suggested 
it. Every thing was cracked on and two topmast 



208 OK BOARD THE ROCKET. 

studdingsail booms were carried away within 
twenty-four hours. But they were immediately re- 
placed, and on we sped ten knots an hour, feeling 
we were going very fast, except when now and 
then an English tea clipper came up astern and 
passed out of sight ahead. 

I learned at sea that there had been one disagree- 
ment on board during my absence on shore at 
Padang. A sailor, called Harry, being reproved 
for something by the mate, gave a back answer. 
Then being threatened, he said : " I'm not afraid ; 
you ain't bigger than a pint of cider, anyway." 
This was an insult that seemed warrant enough 
for a fight, and few officers could have resisted it. 
I was pleased to learn, that in spite of this great 
provocation, the mate had restrained his impulses, 
in obedience to my orders, and had succeeded 
eventually in controlling the man. 

When the cooler weather again drove us to the 
cabin in the evening, the passenger lent his patient 
ear to the story of " Another voyage in the 'Dub- 
lin.' " 



CHAPTER VIII. 

ANOTHER VOYAGE IN THE " DUBLTN." 

ABOUT three weeks after I left the " Dublin " 
a letter came on from Capt. Streeter, saying 
that the ship was going to load a cargo of tobacco 
and staves at Baltimore for Amsterdam, and asking 
me to go with him as second mate. I had almost 
hoped the offer would not come, for whenever the 
scenes of the last voyage had been recalled to my 
mind, in the midst of the delightful and elevated 
associations of home, I had shuddered as though 
the veil of a lower world had been drawn aside, 
and its enormities and fiendish spirit had been 
disclosed to me. I could scarcely summon courage 
to return to it, and I also felt that it might be my 
duty to avoid a sphere of such temptation and bad 
influences. On the other hand, I had scarcely 
enough confidence in my abilities to ship as second 

209- 



210 Otf BO AM) THE ROCKET. 

mate with a stranger, and felt from what I had 
seen and heard of other ships that there was a 
great uncertainty as to whether a change would be 
for the better, and this could only be proved by 
experience. With some misgivings I decided to 
go. I liked the owner so much, and was so pleased 
by the interest which he showed toward me, that I 
thought it desirable to keep in his employ, even 
though I found things were not just to my mind 
on board ship ; and the owner's assurances that the 
captain would improve, relieved my apprehension 
a little, though I knew Capt. Streeter's smooth 
way of talking too well to place much dependence 
upon it. Still the captain was shrewd enough to 
know on which side his bread was buttered, and if 
the owner had told him as he said, that his remain- 
ing in the ship was dependent upon his good 
behavior, it was reasonable to suppose that his 
conduct might be influenced somewhat by this 
motive. 

A week later witnessed my arrival on board the 
"Dublin." The captain seemed glad to see me, 
but Mr. Howard was not so cordial, and appeared 
very much under the weather. 

" I tell you what it is," said he, as Ave walked 
forward together to have a chat, " I've been second 
mate of a ship a long time, but I never had a man 
treat me so like a dog as Capt. Streeter 's done since 
we've been in port. He wanted the ship scrubbed 
around outside as soon as the copper got out of 



mk. Howard's complaint. 211 

water; and a man offered to do it, and paint her 
beside, for ten dollars, when the regular price that 
other ships pay is twenty dollars. But the 'old 
man kicked up ' Bob's a dying,' and swore he 
wouldn't pa}^ no such price ; and then he gave me 
so many hints, and told me so many stories about 
what that cursed Mr. Jones of his used to do in 
port, that at last I offered to do it myself. So he 
hired a raft, and a boy to help me, and then I 
scrubbed the ship and painted her bends all round. 
I thought that would satisfy him, but as long as I 
had got my hand into dirty work, he thought he 
wouldn't let me take it out, and he had the face to 
tell me to go over the bow and coal-tar the bob- 
stays, and all the rest of the iron-work. I was 
just fool enough to do it, and he's kept me going 
ever since at jobs that any decent captain would 
hire a man to do ; but it's about played out now. 
He's so mean he'd skin a louse for its hide and 
tallow ; and his soul is so small you could punch 
the pith out of a horse-hair and put his soul inside, 
and then it would rattle if you shook it." 

I did not try to soothe him very much, and 
rather hoped he wouldn't be soothed ; for the pros- 
pect of his leaving the ship, which was suggested 
by the tenor of his remarks, was not at all unpleas- 
ant to me. 

The next morning Mr, Howard had a talk with 
the captain in the cabin after breakfast, and then 
came out on deck to where I was standing and 



212 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

said : " Mr. A , I'm going to leave the ship." 

" Are you ? " said I, greatly astonished but 
equally pleased. " What is that for? " 

" Well, I'll tell you why. One thing is, I've got 
sick of the old man, and another is that I know 
I'm not competent to go mate of a ship, for I don't 
know no more about navigation than that windlass 
does, and the first time the old man got mad with 
me at sea, he'd heave it up in my face, for all he 
talks so fair now about it's not making any differ- 
ence. But another thing I'll tell you, and I don't 
want you to get mad with me for saying it, for I 
never met a man on board of a ship that I liked 
any better than I do you ; I don't think we can 
get along together. I'm bound to make the old 
shell-backs toe the mark, and if they don't do it I 
can't talk polite to 'em. I wasn't brought up to 
that business. But whenever I've had a row at 
sea you've hardly spoken to me for a week after. 
Now if I go in this ship again, I know we shall be 
at loggerheads all the time, and it's a bad job for 
officers of a ship if they can't sail alongside of 
each other. I've got a chance to go second mate 
of the ship "Robert Stanwood," and the mate's a 
man just like myself, and we can hitch horses. 
The fact is, I've too much respect for you to sail 
with you. You're too good a man to go to sea. 
It's a life only fit for a rascal, but if you're bound 
to go, I hope you'll get along well, and have a 



WS,. HOWABD LEAVES. 213 

mate to your liking, though I think they are scarce 
fish in these waters." 

I was certainly pleased at Mr. Howard's decision, 
but was much touched by his way of announcing it. 

" I don't wonder that you want to leave, Mr. 
Howard," I replied ; "but it would be more for 
your interest to stay, and if you make up your 
mind not to be quite so hard on sailors, I think we 
can get along pleasantly. You must remember it 
isn't the most important thing in a man's life to 
make sailors rum the mile in less than three minutes, 
when a four-minute pace would be just as good for 
the ship and the owners. I believe in making- 
sailors work and keep in their place, but I don't 
believe in giving up all one's good principles to do 
it, nor do I think it is necessary." 

" Perhaps not ; you and me has been brought 
up very different, and we must go our own way. 
I've got an ugly temper, I know ; but it's there, 
and it's got to come out. When you've seen as 
much of sailors as I have, maybe you'll think the 
best way to deal with "em is to knock 'em down." 

Mr. Howard left the ship, much to the captain's 
sorrow ; for he was a man after his own heart, and 
he hoped he had at last found officers that were 
willing to sail with him on a second voyage. 

The ship leaked a good deal even in port, and 
by the captain's orders another man and myself 
hud to pump her out, involving half an hour's 
w ork morning and night on a straight wooden 



214 ON BOARD THE BOCKET. 

pump handle. After the trouble we had on the 
last passage, I was astonished that new pumps had 
not been procured, and as I was in correspondence 
with the bookkeeper in the owner's office, in the 
course of a friendly letter I slipped in a word about 
the pumps. By return mail a letter came from the 
owner, telling the captain to get the best pumps 
that could be obtained. He told me this without 
suspicion of my agency in the matter, but re- 
marked: "The owner is very ready to say get this 
or that, but when the bills come in he would find 
fault about the heavy disbursements." The ship 
went to sea without them and I felt very loth to 
go in her, for the only explanation that occurred 
to me was, that the captain wanted to get the ship 
into a port of distress, and have an underwriter's 
job, which would give him a chance to enrich his 
pockets with percentages. 

The person, who came to undertake the mate's 
duties for the voyage, was a young man of twenty- 
five years, named Wright, a native of Baltimore. 
He had received a liberal share of his education in 
the streets, and was familiar with the peculiarities 
of " Blood-tubs " and "Plug-uglies." .But besides 
these questionable accomplishments he possessed 
a tall, manly form, a handsome, expressive face, and 
a clear eye, which, while it impressed one with its 
determination, also implied a nature that despised 
meanness. His manners were quite gentlemanly, 
and after a short intercourse with him I felt con- 



A TIPSY CREW. 215 

vincecl that he was superior in natural gifts to any 
man I had yet sailed with ; and I was much pleased 
with the change of mates. 

The ship had loaded a full cargo of Maryland 
tobacco, which comes in smaller casks than the 
Virginia, though still of good size, weighing up- 
wards of nine hundred pounds. Several thousand 
staves had also been stowed away, to fill up all the 
spare room, and the ship's stores and water having 
been taken on board, she was ready for sea, and ac- 
cordingly received the crew, and proceeded down 
the Chesapeake towards the sea. 

The crew, as usual upon the commencement of 
a voyage, were for the most part under the influ- 
ence of liquor. The mate was very reserved in 
talking about sailors, and told no fighting stories, 
which I thought must be evidence that he was a 
peaceable man, and as they came over the rail and 
staggered into the forecastle, he had remarked to 
me: " We'll have 'em all straight in a day or two. 
I don't like a drunken row, and we must shut our 
eyes to some things the first day." 

He carried out these precepts, except upon 
finding a young Irishman sitting on his chest in 
the forecastle while all the other sailors were at 
work, when the answer that was given to the order 
to come out on deck was the brandishing of a 
sheath-knife and the declaration that he wasn't go- 
ing to work "on board the bloody hooker." The 
mate settled this question by snatching away the 



216 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

knife, hauling the man on deck, and hitting him 
two or three cracks with a belaying pin, and the 
captain seeing it showed some signs of reform by 
shouting: "That'll do, Mr. Wright, that'll do till 
we get outside." 

Leaving the pilot off the Capes of Virginia, the 
voyage was fairly begun, with a fresh S. W. wind, 
which increasing to a strong breeze blew after us 
for seven days, and took us half way across the 
Atlantic. 

I now stood watch alone for the first time, and 
it seemed a tremendous responsibility to be left in 
charge of the ship on a dark, squally night. How 
a person could become so unconcerned as to fall 
asleep, as I knew Mr. Howard had sometimes done, 
was more than I could understand. I found a 
great difference between a second and third mate's 
position. When I was in the latter, I had only to 
obey orders and see to the execution of work de- 
signed by my superiors. But now I had to decide 
upon such matters for myself, and it sometimes set 
me at my wits' ends to find work to keep my eight 
men constantly employed, particularly in wet 
weather when sails and rigging could not be 
worked on. It had seemed easy enough when 
third mate, for whenever at a loss I could fall back 
on the mate for a job. But now when the watches 
were changed the mate would start me with some 
work and going below would leave me to get along 
as well as I could. 



ship's woke. 217 

It is customary, as a general thing, for the mate 
to take special charge of the foremast and jib- 
boom, and the second mate of the mainmast and 
mizzenmast, as far as keeping them in order is 
concerned. But the mate keeps the general super- 
vision of the work, and the second mate would not 
make airy changes of consequence without the 
mate's approval. This obliges him to resort to 
small jobs to keep his men employed when more 
extensive work fails, and they are apt to be of the 
character denominated "humbugging" by sailors, 
and of which the exponent is sawing wood with a 
hammer. It must be admitted that a great deal 
of work is done on board ship, which will hardly 
bear the test of necessity. But the men must be 
constantly employed, and if other things fail the 
chain-cable will always have rust enough on it to 
admit of cleaning, as a last resort ; and if some who 
wonder " what they find to do on board ship," 
could have spent a day in one of the flash Califor- 
nia clippers of a few years' ago, they would have 
seen a large crew busied not only in the day-time, 
but through the night, scraping eye-bolts and iron 
belaying-pins till they shone like silver, smoothing 
off the paint work by rubbing with stones, scraping 
other parts bright, as also the masts and yards, and 
wearing away the deck with holystones, as well as 
the more legitimate work of making and taking in 
sail, bracing yards and repairing sails and rigging. 

The rule of labor in such vessels is comprised «iu 



218 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

the sailor's " Philadelphia Catechism : " 

" Six days thou shalt labor and do all thou art 
able ; and on the seventh, holystone the decks and 
pound the cable." „ 

I found, too, that it was rather harder to get 
along with the sailors. Having entire control of 
my watch I took much more interest in their per- 
formance of work, and any laziness or stupidity 
excited my pugnacity in the like greater proportion. 

The crew, with two or three exceptions, were a 
poor set of men ; not particularly ugly in disposi- 
tion, but ignorant, thick-headed and lazy, and very 
trjdng to an officer's temper. 

The captain behaved wonderfully well, and 
seemed so sincerely endeavoring to restrain his 
usual sea indulgences, that I had no regret at my 
decision in making the voyage. 

The mate got along rather quietly, and proved 
himself to be a very efficient officer ; and there was 
something in his calm, decided bearing which gave 
the captain great confidence in him, and also kept 
Irim somewhat from his customary interference 
with mate's duties. He bestowed pretty liberal 
attention on the second mate's affairs, however, 
and used to make me understand sometimes what 
Mr. Morrison had endured the previous voyage. 

The mate was not harsh with the sailors, and 
carried on his work with very little noise, giving 
ordinary orders in a mild tone. But still he was 
strict, and the men had to move at a lively pace 



SQtTALLY WEATHER. 219 

and be wide awake ; and sometimes when they 
failed to do this, he did not resist the temptation 
of sending a curse and a belaying-pin after them, 
or perhaps giving them a touch of a rope's end. 
There was nothing, however, like Mr. Howard's 
abuse of men, and if a sailor did come in for a rap, 
he was pretty sure to be in the wrong. His rela- 
tions to me were very pleasant. When relieving 
each other at night, if no work was going on, we 
had a short chat, or the mate told some little yarn 
about the Liverpool packet trade, which he had 
sailed in a good deal. 

There was no third mate this voyage, so we had 
to depend on each other for sociability. 

Though it was the month of August the weather 
was blustering and changeable. The S.W. wind 
which had favored us so well gave place to north- 
erly and easterly winds, with unsettled and squally 
weather. At times nearly all sail would be set to 
a steady breeze, when suddenly the black, threaten- 
ing clouds would spring up from the horizon, and 
with only a few minutes' warning, spread over the 
sky, bursting upon the ship in a furious gust, while 
all hands would be at work clewing up and hauling 
down the slatting, booming and rustling sails; 
and officers and sailors increased the noise by what 
would seem to a landsman a perfect Babel of harsh 
orders and shrill cries. 

Those are the times that try* officers' souls, and 
the times that test the sailors' merit. In -fine 



220 ON BOARD THE BOCKJET. 

weather a little laziness or ignorance may perhaps 
be borne patiently, but in a squall there is no for- 
giveness for a man who " hangs back," or " doesn't 
know what he's about." 

In the confusion attending these squalls some of 
the sailors seemed to forget what little they knew, 
and were frequently letting go the wrong ropes or 
running everywhere except to the place where they 
were wanted. The captain's good resolutions suc- 
cumbed to this pressure so far as to allow his tongue 
to regain its old fluency at cursing ; the mate was 
pretty active both in words and deeds ; and as for 
the second mate, he used to bite his lips pretty 
hard to keep his tongue quiet. 

There was an old sailor on board who had greatly 
attracted my interest, partly owing to the circum- 
stances attending his coming on this voj^age, and 
partly because of his good nature and willingness 
to work as well as his feeble energies would permit. 
He was now fifty- two years old, and a confirmed 
drunkard. The day after leaving Baltimore he 
came to the steward, as he was about going into 
the galley with a pan of dough, and asked him if 
.he knew where the ship was bound to. 

" Certainly," said the steward, "" don't you ? " 

He shook his head, and the steward told him : 
" We're going to Amsterdam." 

Old Harry's story was this: He was the son 
of a clergyman in Virginia, and when quite young 
had run away to sea. He fell into bad habits 



OLt) HARRY. 221 

which prevented his rising in his profession, and 
for years he had been drifting about, sometimes in 
the navy, and again in merchant vessels. Though 
he had occasionally returned to his friends, his appe- 
tite for strong drink had always overcome his good 
resolutions, and he had long ago been given up as a 
hopeless case. He had a brother in Norfolk, well 
to do, who, after several unsuccessful efforts of 
late years to find traces of Harry, had discovered 
his last voyage. Upon the arrival of the ship at 
Baltimore he had sent him a sum of money to 
defray his expenses home, and offered to give him 
a shelter and support him for the rest' of his days. 
Old Harry was glad enough to accept this offer, 
for he was now quite broken down in health, and 
in his sober hours at sea had many anxious thoughts 
as to what would become of him in the future. 
But he could not resist the inclination for another 
good drink before he started, and his next sensible 
moment found him removed from the den* in Balti- 
more, where he had been carousing, to the fore- 
castle, out of sight of land, and with only fifteen 
cents in his pocket. These he offered to the stew- 
ard for a glass of whiskey, with most imploring- 
tones, but failed to obtain it. He had a touch of 
delirium tremeiis, and after getting rid of the devils 
who, he fancied, were tormenting him, he was in a 
most thoughtful and penitent mood. 

A twenty-two days' passage brought the ship 
into the English Channel. Passing through the 



222 OK BOARD THE ROCKET. 

Straits of Dover into the North Sea, the wind 
hauled to the northward and increased to a fresh 
gale. The topsails were double-reefed, and the 
ship slowly forged ahead, though making some lee- 
way, causing the captain to feel anxious about the 
lee shore, which was in sight not far distant. 

The Dutch pilots usually cruise about Dungen- 
ess, at the entrance of the Straits, but not hap- 
pening to run across one, Capt. Streeter was in too 
much of a hurry to wait, and so kept on. Now he 
became very anxious to procure one, and being off 
Antwerp he ordered he me to set the " Jack " at 
the fore royalmast-head as a signal for a pilot. I 
gave the signal halyards to one of the men, and 
told him to lay aloft and reeve them at. the fore. 
The man slowly climbed up the rigging, but when 
he got to the royalmast his courage gave out. The 
ship was lying over very much and jumping heavily 
in the sharp sea, so that it was a matter of diffi- 
culty to hold on, and much more so to shin up the 
long mast-head. I cheered the man on, who made 
two or three unsuccessful attempts to reach' the 
truck, but after ascending a short distance invari- 
ably slid back to the eyes of the rigging. Another 
man was now sent up to help him, or do the work 
for him, and I travelled aloft also to drive them up. 
But both men were thoroughly frightened; so 
much so that I feared they might lose their hold 
altogether, and I did not like to force them at this 
risk, so at last I took the hazards myself and soon 



AT THE FORE TRUCK. 223 

was at the mast-head. Just at this moment Capt. 
Streeter came out of the cabin and walked for- 
ward to see if his order had been executed. There 
he beheld his second mate at the fore truck, and 
two sailors in the crosstrees looking at him per- 
forming their work. This was rather opposed to 
his idea of things, so he armed himself with the 
long unused cat, which had been out of service 
since the negro-boys escaped from its tutelage, and 
when the men reached the deck he gave them each 
a good flogging ; and when I appeared he said to 
me : " If I ever see you do sailors' work again for 
them, I'll treat you in the same way." 

But the flag did not bring the pilot, though the 
wind moderated enough to quiet the captain's 
fears of the lee-shore. Laying off and on during the 
night, in the morning the spires and windmills of 
Holland appeared rising out of the sea before the 
land was visible. A pilot boat came along side 
and a rosy-cheeked little Dutchman clambered 
over the rail. In his short sailor's jacket he looked 
like an overgrown boy ; but he proved himself a 
good pilot, by bringing the ship into the Zuyder 
Zee and then entering her in the canal at New 
Diep, the port of Amsterdam. 

Vessels formerly sailed up the Zuyder Zee to 
Amsterdam, but were often detained two or three 
weeks for water enough to carry them over a cer- 
tain bank. The enterprising merchants, to obviate 
this delay, dug a canal fifty miles long, from Am,- 



224 OiT BOABD THE KOCKET. 

sterdam to "New Diep, making it wide enough for 
two frigates to pass abreast, and the ships are 
drawn through this to the city in about eighteen 
hours; or, if preferred, they can discharge at New 
Diep into canal-boats, which convey the cargo to 
the city. Another deeper and shorter canal has 
been made since then. 

Capt. Streeter chose the latter plan and speedily 
got to work at discharging the tobacco and staves. 
With two men I worked in the hold, breaking out 
and slinging the cargo, and the rest on deck, at the 
tackle, hoisted it out. 

Though the ship lay alongside the quay, the 
captain refused permission to any of the sailors to 
go on shore in the evening, saying all they wanted 
was to get drunk, and the sailors not relishing this 
restriction, and thinking they had done enough 
hard work on board the " Dublin," took leave of 
absence on their own account, and for awhile every 
morning found two of the crew missing, until only 
three or four were left. ■ 

In a fortnight the ship was all discharged and 
ballasted, the captain went to the city, settled his 
freight and cleared for Cronstadt. I had to curb 
my love of sight-seeing, as my duties would not 
allow me to visit the city. In New Diep I saw t 
the Dutch people, the women with their gold bands 
nung across their foreheads, and metal head-dresses 
ending in front in two little cullenders holding 



DUTCHMEN. 225 

curls, and the men with their pipes, even the min- 
sters walking to church on Sunday smoking. 

The clean swept pavement and the white walled 
houses with their red tiled roofs confirmed the rep- 
utation of that people for order and cleanliness. 

The captain upon returning to the vessel shipped 
some men, and put to sea, having a final " growl " 
at the captain of the steamboat that towed him 
out, bestowed upon him rather because he was the 
last Dutchman he should see for a while, than be- 
'cause of any special fault in the person. But he 
had to take Capt. Streeter's opinion of his country- 
men, and to say the least they were not very flat- 
tering to his national pride. " Slower than real 
estate in Chelsea ; " " don't know enough to go into 
the house when it rains ; " " put two ideas in their 
heads and they'd bu'st," were a few of the favor- 
ite phrases made to apply to the subject under con- 
sideration, as many times before they had been 
applied by Capt. Streeter to such unfortunate peo- 
ple as came into the world outside of the limits of 
"free and enlightened America.'' 

In three days we rounded the north of Denmark 
and squared away through the Cattegat with 
a fresh north-west wind. Before we reached Elsi- 
nore we had a change of wind to the southward, and 
were all day beating up the roads, where we 
anchored at dark. The next morning we started, 
with a fleet of one hundred and fifty vessels, to beat 
into the Baltic. All hands were on deck, and we 



226 OX BOARD THE EOCKET. 

tacked every fifteen minutes. As the Dublin was 
flying light, and most of the fleet were coal-laden, 
she soon distanced them all, and at sunset we 
weathered Falsterbo and squared away up the Bal- 
tic. 

After leaving New Diep, a change came over the 
captain ; the restraint which he had seemed to im- 
pose upon his passions during this voyage, van- 
ished, and he acted as though intent upon making 
up for lost time, and relieving himself of an accu- 
mulation of malice and profanity. In a head wind 
or calm he would throw his hat on deck and jump 
on it, pouring forth abundant curses, and once even 
went so far as to shake his fist aloft and swear at 
" Him who made the calm." The sailors shook their 
heads and remarked to each other that the old man 
wasn't helping things much, and in the forecastle 
they told stories about ships being becalmed until 
the crew starved, or until the grass grew so long 
on her bottom that it took root at the bottom of 
the sea and held her fast when at last a breeze 
came. 

The crew behaved pretty well, were very civil 
and prompt in obeying orders, and proved them- 
selves good " sailor men " withal. 

After the captain had about exhausted his voca- 
bulary on the calm, he felt the need of something 
or person else to vent his spite upon ; and as the 
crew, who usually received these attentions, hardly 
gave the excuse in this case, he very suddenly 



DREAMS. 227 

turned upon the second mate, watched me every 
moment, and criticised every act that could be 
in any way twisted so as to bear it. 

He had always appeared more friendly to me 
than to any one else, and this sudden change took 
everyone by surprise. It could hardly be account- 
ed for except by supposing it to be the expression 
of his displeasure at my failure to develop into an 
officer after his own heart. 

It was soon evident that he had returned to the 
worst phase of his last voyage. I, of all others, 
had occasion to notice it, for the captain's peculiar 
attentions were bestowed upon me. His piercing 
eye was fastened upon me during the greater part of 
the day, and often in the night he crept stealthily 
on deck in hope of discovering some neglect of 
duty, but always found me awake, and the yards 
and sails trimmed as they should be, unless it hap- 
pened that he came out within a few moments of a 
little change of wind, and on one or two such oc- 
casions he declared it had been so for half an hour, 
and taunted me with inattention, or threw out a 
hint that he suspected me of having been asleep 
— the greatest fault an officer can be guilty of. 
His principal reason for the latter suspicion on 
one occasion was that he had a dream about wild 
horses, which never occurred except when an offi- 
cer was asleep. He had proved it several times, 
and never knew it to fail. Mr. Jones never went 
to sleep but once on deck, and that, time the cap- 



228 ON BOAED THE ROCKET. 

tain woke up in the midst of this dream and caught 
him. 

These things were very galling, but I was able to 
avoid any disrespectful response, until one morning 
his taunts were heaped upon me beyond endurance, 
and I had to answer back. 

My watch came on deck at 8 A. M., and the 
captain told me to take a pull of the main tack. 
He stood superintending the work as usual, and as 
we hauled on the rope he shouted out what were 
supposed to be encouraging orders : " Haul, you 
wicked rascals." "Lay out. your beef on it ; — 
bend your backs to it ; you wouldn't haul a mackerel 
off a gridiron ! " Finally, upon his calling out : 
" Haul away ! " I understood him to say " belay, " 
and giving that order to the men the rope was 
made fast. 

"How dare you belay a rope when I'm looking 
out for it? " shouted the captain in a rage. 

" I thought you ordered me to," said I. 

This was an unfortunate speech, as Capt. Street- 
er had a decided animosity to anyone's using the 
word thought. 

" What business have you got to think, I'd like 
to know, '-' he replied. " You didn't ship for that. 
I'll make you know your place. I'm the only man 
that's allowed to think aboard of this ship. You'll 
try to take charge, if I let you keep on with your 
airs a little longer. You swing about the decks 
now as though the ship belonged to you. " - 



A GKOwX. 229 

These phrases and several others were rattled off, 
one after the other, and interlarded plentifully with 
oaths. Meanwhile I and the whole watch stood 
gazing in wonder at the captain, scarcely knowing 
what to make of this great ado about nothing. He 
walked aft a few steps and turned to watch my 
movements as I set the men at work. The mate 
was standing by the main hatch, and he told me to 
let one of my watch sew some canvas on the foot 
of the mainsail, and directed me to let him sit in 
the bight of a main buntline while he worked at it. 
I started the man at his job exactly as the mate 
wished, but as the man caught hold of the bunt- 
line to swing himself up to the desired position, 
the captain burst out upon me again : 

"What kind of backhanded work is that? 
Why don't you lower the man down in a bo's'n's 
chair? I believe if you got two ideas in your 
head it would bu'st. I'd like to know what is the 
matter with you ? " 

" The matter is," said I, " that I've always been 
treated decently till I came here, and I'm not used 
to be cursed about and snarled at as if I was a lob- 
lolly boy. Because I'm good natured you're try- 
ing to impose on me, but I can't stand every- 
thing." 

" If you say another word I'll knock your head 
off," said Capt. Streeter, shaking his huge fist in 
my face. " Don't undertake to dictate to me 
what kind of talk I use. I'd swear if the owner 



230 ON BOARD THE EOCKET. 

and God Almighty were here." Then he said: 
" No ! I won't fight you, if you were a man of my 
size I would, but I'll treat you like a boy that's 
beneath my notice that way. But after this I'll 
keep you in your place. Go set your men to work, 
and mind you behave yourself." 

That day Capt. Stree'ter" paced the deck a good 
deal, evidently in deep thought, and in the evening 
after supper he called me into the cabin. 

" Mr. A "said he, " do you know that a man 

who has had any education can give a slur that'll 
hurt a good deal more than another man can. 
Now, I feel one word from you more than I do a 
dozen from any one else, and I feel hurt at the 
way you spoke to me this morning." 

" I've always tried to be respectful to you, sir," 
I replied, " and I think I've been more so than any 
body else would have been, because I've been anx- 
ious that no one should think I put on any airs on 
account of your familiarity with me. For the last 
week you've done nothing but snarl at me and 
pick upon me. I know, of course, that I'm at fault 
sometimes, but not as much as you try to make 
out." 

" You can't expect a sea captain to be as mild as 
a parson all the time," said Capt. Streeter. " You 
must make allowances. If I'm not quite perfect I 
want you to respect me as your captain ! " 

" I always mean to respect you as my captain ; 
but, if you'll allow me to speak the plain truth, it's 



IN CRONSTADT. 281 

impossible to respect you as a man, and I'm not 
always able to conceal my private feelings." 

" If you can't respect me as a man, I want you 
to as your captain," said Capt. Streeter, biting his 
lips and looking as though he had received a slur 
that cut pretty deep. " That'll do." 

Capt. Streeter felt that the account stood rather 
against him, and took continual opportunities to 
annoy me, and occasionally repeated the sentence 
which closed his cabin conference, showing that 
my remark had taken strong hold upon him. 

The night before we. reached Cronstadt I had a 
good talk with the captain, and he came to the 
conclusion he had better turn his attentions to 
somebody else, and we gradually got to better 
terms with each other. 

In Cronstadt we discharged ballast and loaded a 
cargo of iron and hemp. The crew were called 
every morning at half past four, which of course 
was not very agreeable, and one morning ,an Irish 
sailor growled so much about it, the mate went 
into the forecastle and struck him two or three 
blows with his brass knuckles. A half hour after- 
wards the mate picked up a handspike and struck 
him a blow across the stomach, and after break- 
fast he told the captain of it, and the man was 
called aft and severely beaten on the back with 
the end of the main clew-garnet, a good sized rope. 
No more complaints were made about early rising. 
The mate had a row with another sailor one day, 



282 ON BOABD THE KOCKET. 

and receiving some insolence, threw a heavy piece 
of wood at his head, which fortunately missed its 
mark. The man was so frightened that he de- 
serted that night with one of his shipmates. 

The ship was loaded so deeply and was leaking 
so much, and moreover had such wretched pumps, 
that many misgivings were expressed as to her 
ever crossing the Atlantic safely. The supersti- 
tious among the crew were still more disaffected 
when two Finnish sailors came on board, for a Finn 
is believed to have dealings with the evil one, and 
to be a dangerous shipmate. We sailed for Bos- 
ton one September morning, and beat down the 
Gulf of Finland. The crew that were shipped at 
New Diep were to get fifteen dollars a month, but 
wages were higher in Cronstadt, and the two Fin- 
nish sailors had shipped for twenty dollars. They 
had signed articles to that effect, drawn up by the 
American Consul. This grieved the captain's eco- 
nomic soul, and the day after we sailed, he called 
one of the Finns into the cabin and summoned me 
for a witness. He told the man that if he didn't 
prove to be a first-class, able seaman., he should cut 
his wages down to ten dollars a month ; but, if he 
would sign the articles that the rest of the crew 
were on, and accept fifteen dollars, he would say 
nothing about his seamanship. The man was confi- 
dent of his ability, and had every appearance of a 
thorough seaman. He understood English imper- 
fectly, and was somewhat bewildered by this prop- 



TWO FINNISH SAILORS. 233 

osition, but lie realized it was a scheme to defraud 
him of five dollars a month, and he respectfully 
declined to sign the new articles, saying, he had 
signed once before the consul and that was his bar- 
gain. After a little useless argument, the captain 
rose and shut the cabin door ; then he caught the 
anan by the neck with his left hand, and gave him 
a blow with his right fist that knocked him down. 
He jumped on his chest two or three times with 
his whole weight ; and then kneeling on top of him 
pounded his face severely. The man cried out for 
mercy and promised to sign. He was then helped 
to the table and wrote his name on the fifteen dol- 
lar articles. The other Finn was at the wheel at the 
time, and whether he heard anything of what was 
going on or not, he seemed to lose his head just 
then, and ran the ship off her course. The mate, 
perceiving it, struck him and put another man in his 
place. He was just coming forward as the captain 
and his shipmate stepped out of the cabin. The 
bruised face of his comrade startled him, and when 
the captain told him to go into the cabin he 
refused, supposing he was going to be beaten for 
his bad steering. The captain, without further 
words, seized a belajnng pin from the rail and hit 
him a powerful blow on the head, which cut a deep 
gash on the side of his forehead, and in a moment 
his face was one mass of blood. The steward and 
myself carried him into the cabin, by his head and 
heels, and seating him on a stool in a state-room, 



234 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

bound up his broken head with strips of sail cloth 
in lieu of rags. The captain brought a pen to him 
and told him to write his name on the old articles. 

" What ish dis ? " he asked. 

"Do as you're told, " said the captain, and the 
man signed. 

The captain then put a pair of handcuffs on the 
man's wrists, though he was as quiet as possible, 
and he was left to meditate on the privileges of 
sailing under that symbol of freedom and justice, 
the American flag. 



>r 



CHAPTER IX. 



THE " DUBLIN " — CONCLUDED. 



W 7"HEN eight da}^s out from Cronstadt the ship 
* * was in the North Sea about forty miles S. 
W. of the Naze of Norway. The weather was 
rainy and the sky dark and threatening. The wind 
gradually increased to a gale from the westward, 
and in a few hours the ship was hove to under the 
close-reefed maintopsail, laboring heavily ill the 
ugly confused sea. Careful attention to the 
pumps showed that the ship was leaking more 
than usual, keeping the pumps constantly going. 
The sand washed to the well-room and choked the 
pumps, which had not force enough to throw it 
out. It was blowing a living gale, the ship was 
leaking badly and the pumps were useless, the 
alternative that was presented was to founder at 
sea, or run for some port. Accordingly, in the 
235 



236 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

afternoon, the captain ordered the yards to be 
squared, and the ship scudded before wind and sea 
towards the Cattegat. Getting one pump clear, 
the crew, by constant work, kept the water from 
gaining rapidly ; but a new danger was now before 
us. The captain had not seen the sun for twenty- 
four hours and was not very confident as to the 
ship's position ; she was running towards the land, 
and an error of a few miles in the reckoning might 
result in the loss of all on board before the next 
day-break. The Coast of Denmark is very low 
and cannot be seen far at sea even in clear weather, 
and though Captain Streeter Loped to fetch to the 
northward, of it, still he felt very much concerned, 
as the distance would probably be run before ckiy- 
light. I shall never forget my feelings as I stood 
by the wheel that night, in the middle watch, while 
the ship scudded before the howling tempest in 
the pitchy darkness, perhaps towards sudden and 
certain destruction. 

The negro steward had the best eyes of any 
man in the ship, and at the first dawn of day he 
went forward and looked anxiously and earnestly 
ahead. In a moment the cry, " Land, ho ! " sounded, 
and he ran aft and reported to the captain that he 
could see the land not more than five miles off. 
Calling all hands the captain hauled the ship by 
the wind and crowded all the sail possible in order 
to keep the ship off the lee-shore and weather the 
northern point of Denmark, which, as the day 



IN DISTRESS. 237 

broke, appeared on the lee bow. He found that he 
had missed his course by only eight or ten miles, 
but had it not been for the steward's eyesight, or 
had d&y dawned fifteen minutes later, the error 
would have proved fatal. The ship struggled 
bravely against the gale under double-reefed top- 
sails, a press of canvas that threatened " to take 
the sticks out of her," but she seemed inspirited 
by the nearness of the dangerous coast, and when 
she finally fetched by the Scaw and squared away 
across the Cattegat, all on board felt that the 
question of life and death was decided in their 
favor, and cheerfulness and thankfulness took pos- 
session of them. One hundred and fifty vessels 
and three hundred lives were reported lost in that 
gale. That afternoon the ship took a^pilot off the 
Swedish coast, and proceeding seven miles up the 
River Gotha, anchored at Masthugget, a suburb of 
Gothenburg. 

The next day a survey was held and it was decided 
that the ship must discharge and be hove down, 
though the leak was no more than good pumps 
could have kept under. Here was a dismal pros- 
pect. It was October and three months must pass 
before the " Dublin " could be reacty for sea again, 
and then it would be January, and probably the 
river would be frozen over, so that she would be 
ice-bound till spring. The dreary looking country 
and the low unattractive town which was in sight 
presented little temptation to a long residence, and 



238 ON BOAItD THE ttOCKET. - 

great discussions went on in the forecastle, whether 
the " old man " would discharge the crew or not. 

By law, sailors discharged from an American ship 
abroad are entitled to three months' extra pay, one 
third of which goes to the Consul. This made the 
crew still more anxious to leave and they impa- 
tiently awaited the decision. The Consul, with un- 
usual liberality, told Capt. Streeter that if his crew 
wished to be discharged and would at once take 
passage in the steamer for England, he might let 
them go without any extra pay. The men were a 
little disappointed at this, but were so dissatisfied 
with the ship that they preferred to leave on these 
terms, and were accordingly paid off and took the 
steamer for Hull, England. As they passed the 
" Dublin " on their way down the river they 
waved their hats and one of them shouted " Bad 
luck to the old hooker." 

One evening in New Diep, old Harry went into 
the between decks on some duty, and as it was 
rather dark there he fell through the hatchway 
into the hold and broke his right arm. Captain 
Streeter was too economical to employ a doctor, 
and too strict a disciplinarian to allow the sailor to 
go on shore to see one ; he also believed that he 
knew more than all the medical fraternity put to- 
gether. He therefore set the bone himself, but did 
it so badly that the arm was nearly useless after the 
bones had knit. Harry was very downhearted 
about it, for now he could no longer ship as an 



GOOD-BY TO OLD HAEKY. 239 

able seaman and, as usual, when he was discharged 
at Gothenburg he sought relief from his sorrows in 
drink. In a few clays he was picked up in the 
gutter, one cold morning, penniless and almost 
naked. The United States Consul kindly gave 
him some clothes, and wished him to accept a very 
serviceable coat which had belonged to his coach- 
man. But the sailor said: "Old Harry is an 
old man-o'-wars-raan and he can't wear a coach- 
man's coat. Cut those big buttons off and I'll 
take it. " In his buttonless coat he was put on 
board the steamer for England and disappeared. 

One Sunday I went up to Gothenburg, in one of 
the little steam launches that ply up and down 
the river. In the evening after my return I told 
the mate of my visit ; and after hearing my de- 
scription of the city, he said : 

u I wish you'd been aboard this afternoon when 
Capt. Mann of the brig " Hong Kong" was down in 
the cabin, visiting the old man. They talked so loud 
I couldn't help hearing all they said, though I didn't 
listen. You know you told me Capt. Streeter never 
commanded a vessel before he had this one ; but 
if you had heard his yarns, you'd have learned that 
he's had charge of a whole fleet of ships, and he 
had such a great reputation that the Emperor of 
Russia wanted him to command one of his " cravats," 
as he called it, but I suppose he meant corvettes. 
He told the Emperor that if he took charge of her, 
the first thing he'd do would be to run her into 



240 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

action and get the crew killed off, in order to make 
room for true-born Americans — the only men who 
could get two ideas in their heads without burst- 
ing. The Emperor didn't like this plan of dispos- 
ing of his subjects very well, but he knew that 
Capt. Streeter was such a smart man that he still 
urged him to accept, until the affair ended by the 
captain telling him he wouldn't take one of his 
ships if he'd give her to him. 

" That wasn't the yarn I started to tell you 
though. Capt. Streeter said that he commanded 
the ship " Seaman's Bride." (I'm pretty sure he's 
been second mate of her). He was loading teas at 
Shanghae on owners' account, and they wrote to 
him to make the quickest passage home he possibly 
could, and not to spare either spars, sails or rig- 
ging. In eighty-four days after leaving Shanghae 
he dropped anchor off the Battery; the quick- 
est passage ever made. He had carried away a 
set of top-gall antmasts, sprung the fore topmast, 
mainmast-head, and fore arifl main topsail-yards, 
and blown away two suits of sails. On discharging 
her, they found two of her deck beams broken, five 
knees started in the between decks, and four hang- 
ing knees in the lower hold broken, and so on till 
he ran up a list longer than a bill of repairs on an 
underwriter's job. When he got the ship's damages 
told, he began on the damages to sailors, and I tell 
you they were still worse. He killed two men 
outright and in New York nineteen men went 



captain's yarns. 24l 

ashore with broken heads, all fixed to order by him- 
self, for his mates didn't know anything, ana feared 
everything in the shape of sailors, and he had to 
lick them too. I never heard a man tell a straight- 
er story in my life. I believe the old man would 
beat Tom Pepper at a yarn, and they say he was 
more than a match for the Old Nick at lying. I'd 
like to be behind the door when the match was 
going on, anyway. I never thought he told the 
truth very hard, but I believe now he's forgotten 
how, if he ever knew." • 

" Why, " I added, " you know he said himself 
one day, ' I never tell the truth except when a lie 
won't ansv er,' and I thought he came nearer tell- 
ing the truth than usual when he said that." 

" My opinion of Capt. Streeter," said the mate, 
' " is that he would be a thundering rascal if he 
dared to be, but he hasn't got the pluck, and he 
tries to get the credit of it by making up in lies 
what he hasn't courage to do. " 
, " He's a pretty hard man though," said I ; " I've 
seen him handle some sailors very roughly." 

"Hard man, " said the mate ; "I wish you could 
have seen the work in some ships I've been in. 
What courage does it take for a great two-fisted 
fellow like him to handle a single sailor. There 
was old " Blower Aiken, " who used to keep a 
bucket full of coal on the poop to heave at the 
sailors, and when they were at the main braces, if 
they didn't haul hard enough to suit, and it wasn't 



M2 on board the rocket. 

very often they did, he'd get up on the after-house, 
and jump down on top of one of the men, and then 
turn to and lick the whole watch. When I was in 
the packet-ship " Mountaineer," along with ' Bully 
Nat Johnson,' I was with what I call a hard man. 
If the man at the wheel got the ship a little off her 
course, I've seen him pick up a boat-hook and run 
it through the man's cheek, and keep him standing 
at the wheel till his trick was done. 

" We were coming home from Liverpool once, 
and went out of the North Channel ; but then the 
wind came from the northward and blew a livina- 

o 

gale. This brought the Irish coast on our lee, and 
the 'old man 'carried sail pretty hard to claw off. 
Our fore-topsail blew all to ribbons, and while we 
were up bending another, a boy fell off the lee 
yard arm. Only the man next to him noticed him, 
and it was blowing so hard he could not make any 
one hear to windward. The mate, who was on 
deck, saw it, and beckoned to me to come down. (I 
was third mate of her). When I got on deck, he 
told me what had happened, and he had just thrown 
a rope which the boy had got hold of ; for the ship 
of course was only just drifting. We tried to haul 
him in, but when he was nearly up, he slipped his 
hold and fell into the water. He floated aft, and 
caught hold of the main chain-plates ; and just as 
I was going to get a rope round him the old 
man yelled out to me : " Go up on that fore-topsail 
yard." 



A HAED MAN. 243 

" ' There's a boy overboard, sir,' " said I. 

" ' I don't care,' said he ; ' let him help himself. 
If we don't get that fore-topsail bent we'll all be 
lost." 

"•"While I stopped for this talk, a sea had washed 
the boy away, so I went up aloft. 

"The sailors were so frightened at the force of 
the gale, and flapping of the remnant of the old 
sail that they had all laid in off the yard, and 
wouldn't go out again. The old man came up and 
kicked them, and jumped on their heads as they 
stood in the rigging and top, bat they wouldn't 
stir, and at last the second mate and I crawled out 
on the weather yard arm, and he lashed me on to 
the yard with a gasket, and then I cut away the 
old sail and hauled out the head of the new one, 
for the men came out when they found some one 
to take the weather earing. 

" Old Johnson is dead now. They called him 
one of the smartest men that sailed out of New 
York, and he could always command his own 
wages, but I guess old Jimmy Squarefoot is put- 
ting him over the road now for — four bells ! you 
don't say an hour's gone a'ready ; you must want 
to turn in." 

The cargo was discharged into lighters and 
stored on shore. Then the " Dublin " was hauled 
into the shipyard and her inmates, captain, two 
mates, cook and steward moved to boarding houses 
on shore. The ship was hove down on her side, 



244 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

caulked and slieathed, and all day long we stood 
on the rafts alongside and went through the form 
of watching the workmen. We had a vacation 
from the captain's society in the evening, except 
when I had to go up to his lodgings and write his 
business letters for him. 

The beginning of January foui id the ship again 
loaded and ready for sea, only waiting for sailors, 
who were veiy scarce ; partly so, because the .cap- 
tain had told so many fighting stories in the ship- 
chandlers' stores that the bad reputation the old 
crew had given the vessel had been confirmed and 
increased. The river froze over, and though a 
channel was kept open hy steamers, this might 
be expected to close any night, and unless the ship 
desired to remain until spring it was time for her 
to leave. So she was towed down to an outer har- 
bor through seven miles of ice and in a few days 
the captain joined her with a crew of young 
Swedes — no old sailors being willing to join the 
vessel. The river was now frozen entirely over, 
and even in this harbor ice had formed for two 
miles out amongst the islands towards the sea. 
Accordingly the captain made a bargain with the 
fishermen of the place to break out the ship, and 
they assembled in force with their ice boats. 
These were built with sharp bows which the men 
lifted and struck upon the ice, and as it gave way 
they jumped on to the boat. When a space had 
been cleared ahead of the ship, her fore-topsail was 



A SWEDISH CREW. 245 

set, and she crashed along until brought up by the 
firm ice, when the boats again went to work while 
the ship held on by a line toggled into the ice 
astern. In this way we worked all of one clay, 
and at its sunset found ourselves in open water ; 
then we made sail and steered to the westward, 
delighted to be at last homeward bound. 

Ten out of fifteen of the crew could not speak 
English and most of them were young men and 
very poor sailors.. But they were "willing" and 
well disposed, and the knowledge of Swedish I 
had acquired in the long winter evenings enabled 
me to work ship with them quite easily. 

The captain had not improved his opportunity 
to master the language, and it nearly drove him 
distracted when the men ran to the wrong end of 
the ship to execute an order. He tried on his 
" tantrums " at first, and issued his volleys of 
curses and blackguardism from the top of the 
afterhouse, but the sailors only turned and stared 
at him with their mouths open in wonder. He 
gave this up after awhile and we had quite a peace- 
able passage. 

The ship made good headway in spite of this, 
and soon again passed Fair Island and the inevi- 
table boat-load of beggars, and commenced battling 
with the Atlantic. Lat. 60° N. in the month of 
January is not a very agreeable locality to sail in, 
and gales of wind were frequent visitors. We 
were about half way across the ocean, when one 



246 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

evening the captain, anxious to finish his passage, 
was " carrying on " to the ship with the double-reefed 
topsails, steering west, with the wind north. The 
ship was thus right in the trough of the sea and as 
it blew a fresh gale, and the seas were beginning 
to roll higher and higher, the men cast many un- 
easy glances to windward. At a little before eight 
o'clock, while the watch was pumping ship, a sea 
broke on board forward, and breaking down the 
bulwarks and tearing away the water-casks from 
their lashings, swept aft, and catching up the crew 
at the pumps carried them down into the lee scup- 
pers. As I was washing about with the surges of 
the water I at first thought I was overboard, but 
after awhile managed to get on my feet and was 
pleased to find the deck still under them. Half a 
dozen men were standing up to their necks in 
water howling Swedish exclamations, declaring 
they had broken arms and legs and so on, and 
when I got around to windward the moon broke 
out through the, clouds and showed a scene of the 
greatest confusion. Boat, spars, and ropes had 
been washed off the house, and the decks were 
piled up with the debris of watercasks and bul- 
warks. As soon as the frightened sailors could be 
got to work sail was reduced, and upon surveying 
the damage done, it was found that the ship's stem 
was started away from the "wood ends " and the 
water must be pouring into the hold. Some hands 
at once were set to work to prepare for throwing 



DECKS SWEPT. 247 

overboard cargo from the forehatch and the rest 
sent to the pumps. To the great relief of all, the 
noble pumps that had been furnished in Gothen- 
burg worked splendidly and freed the ship from 
water. As soon as the mate could get time he 
began to count the men, fearing that some had 
been washed overboard, and failing to make out 
the number he took a look into the forecastle and 
discovered five sailors snugly ensconsed in their 
bunks. When they spied the mate they all began 
to groan and cry, and upon inquiry he learned that 
one had broken his back, two had broken legs, and 
the other two broken arms. He called the captain, 
who made a hasty examination which convinced 
him they were more frightened than hurt, and he 
said : " I'll give you all just five minutes to get 
out on deck, and if you ai'n't out in that time I'll 
come in and drive you out with a handspike." 
This threat brought the broken legs and arms into 
action and they all made their appearance within 
the prescribed time, somewhat bruised but none of 
them seriously injured. 

Two days after this the water was quite smooth 
and the captain desired to do something to stop 
the leak forward, which kept the pumps going 
nearly all the time. It was necessary for some one 
to go over the bow in a " bowline,'" and as the 
weather was cold and the person would dip in the 
water, it was an unpleasant as well as a danger- 
ous task. The captain disliked to order any one 



248 ON BOARD THE EOCKET. 

to do it, but the mate volunteered to the work. 
A bed-quilt was cut up into long strips, and being 
lowered down over the bow in the bight of a rope 
with a stick, the mate proceeded to stuff the quilt 
into the open seam and then nailed canvas over 
it down to the water's edge. At every dip he was 
nearly submerged in the cold waves, but manfully 
did his work until the last nail w T as driven, and 
then the hammer dropped from his benumbed hand 
and he was drawn on board thoroughly chilled. 
He was taken to the cabin and treated to a stiff 
drink of whiskey. He soon recovered from the 
immediate effects of his exposure, though for some 
time after he felt the drain it made on his powers 
of endurance. The leak Avas reduced one half by 
his labors and he w r as regarded as a hero. 

All felt very anxious upon approaching the 
coast, fearing to encounter heavy weather while 
the ship was in this crippled condition. But in 
spite of our hopes the gales were destined to 
come. 

A few days after this, another gale set in at mid- 
night, and at one o'clock in the morning all hands 
were called to double-reef the topsails. It was a 
dark, wild night, blowing hard with rain and sleet, 
and very cold. The crew were so worn out with 
exposure they were not very lively, and we were an 
hour and a quarter before we got below again. In 
reefing the fore-topsail we were aloft twenty min- 
utes, the sail being w r et and stiff and the yard not 



HURRYING THE CREW. 249 

being properly braced to the wind so as to " spill " 
the sail. The captain swore we had been ug there 
two hours, and said he would see if the main-top- 
sail couldn't be worked quicker. He got his rope's 
end, and at the order " lay aloft," he flew around 
the deck and beat every man into the rigging ; then 
he followed them aloft, thrashing at . every one he 
reached. When they laid out on the yard, he 
walked out to each yard arm holding on to the top- 
gallant studdingsail booms, which were triced up, 
and beat each man over the head and shoulders. 
Standing in the maintop he struck at each sailor as 
he passed down. We were five minutes longer than 
we had been at the fore-topsail, but the captain flat- 
tered himself he had hurried matters. In memory, 
this dark night, the fierce storm, the cold blinding 
sleet, the weak and disheartened crew and the worst 
storm of rage, curses and blows from the captain, 
form an abiding impression of a demoniacal event. 

The ship was so deep her decks were always wet, 
and seas broke over her continually when the wind 
attained to any force. Even if protected with oil- 
clothing a sea would often knock one down and soak 
him. To stand on deck four hours in a cold, stormy 
night, soaked to the skin and with boots saturated 
and partly filled with water, makes one's life seem 
to-be oozing away. No wonder sailors are short- 
lived ; sea exposure and shore degradation soon 
use them up ! 

When about in the longitude of Cape Sable we 



250 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

took a fresh southerly gale with warm rainy weather, 
and the same afternoon it suddenly hauled to the 
northwest, increasing in force, and the weather be- 
coming very cold. The wet sails froze so stiff that 
it was with the greatest difficulty that the crew 
could furl them, and while trying to close-reef the 
fore-topsail five of the men had their hands frozen 
and with difficulty got safely on deck. The " Dub- 
lin " had the old-fashioned whole topsails and it was 
a dreadful job to handle them. The plan of making 
two handy sails out of one large one as in the 
"Howes' Rig," which is now almost universally 
adopted, is one of the greatest blessings of the 
age to the mariner, and yearly saves numbers 
of lives and a vast amount of hardship. Some of 
the men, whose hands were frozen, restored the cir- 
culation by rubbing them in the icy water which 
washed over the deck, but two of them were dis- 
abled, and upon arrival in port had to submit to the 
amputation of some of the fingers and toes. I had 
both hands frozen, but soon thawed them out in the 
cold sea water. 

The ship was now hove to on the starboard tack, 
the gale was blowing fiercely, and ice making on the 
ship. The clothes of the men were frozen upon 
them, and when the watch was ordered to go below 
I took the last dry clothes I had from my chest and 
turned into my bunk. I was only just going to 
sleep, when above the noise of the gale sounded the 
rustling and slatting of the fore-topsail, which had 



A FREEZING GALE. 251 

"blown adrift, and then came the mate's cry, "all 
hands ahoy ! Rouse out here and furl the fore-top- 
sail." This was a moment of real hardship, and it 
required a great deal of heroism to spring from 
one's bunk and face the freezing gale aloft. I con- 
fess I shirked duty and waited for a second call, 
which fortunately did not come. A few sailors 
soon appeared on deck, and the rest too much ter- 
rified or too irresolute to meet the harsh duty were 
dragged out of their bunks by the mate and driven 
aloft, with threats of blows from a handspike he 
carried in his hands. 

For fifteen minutes the crew battled with the stiff 
icy sail. Again and again they had it gathered up 
and the blast would sweep it from their benumbed 
hands, but finally the gaskets were passed around 
it and the order was given to " lay down." The 
sailors then turned in and rolled themselves up in 
their blankets to try one phase of a sailor's life, 
" turn in wet and turn out smoking." 

All the next day the gale raged with fury, the ice 
was a foot thick on deck, and the ropes and rigging 
were masses of ice. It was impossible to work ship 
or make sail and we let her lie and drift to the 
southward. The day succeeding, the gale modera- 
ted and the thermometer suddenly started up. Try- 
ing the temperature of the water alongside, we 
found ourselves in the Gulf Stream. All that day 
we were employed drawing up the warni water from 
alongside, pouring it over the rigging and beating 



252 OE" BOAUD THE BOCKEf. 

off the ice. At night we got it sufficiently cleared 
to allow us to make sail. Fine weather succeeded 
and in a few days we found ourselves on George's 
Bank. The captain hailed the fishing schooner, 
" Eliza A. Proctor," to find out our position, as he 
was somewhat distrustful of the accuracy of his 
chronometer. 

" Schooner ahoy ! " 

" Halloa," answered a shrill voice. 

" What is your longitude ? " 

" We hai'n't got no longitude ; we're after fish ! " 

" How does George's Shoal bear ? " 

" Nor' West by North." 

As we passed the schooner Capt. Streeter dis- 
covered that the skipper was his mate of two voy- 
ages previous — Mr. Foster, whom he had quarrelled 
with and discharged from the ship in Mobile. The 
bearing he gave did not at all agree with the reck- 
oning ; the captain had some misgivings as to the 
skipper's information and decided not to trust to 
it. The schooner " Emporia " afterwards gave us 
another bearing and when we sighted Cape Cod 
w'e found Foster had deceived us. and given a 
course that would have wrecked the ship if it had 
been followed. He evidently did it out of spite to 
his old commander. 

Capt. Streeter was weather-wise, and contin- 
ually prophesied the changes of the wind. Once 
when it had been blowing from the northwest for 
two or three days, it began to moderate and give 
« 



Weather-wise. 253 

evidence that tins wind had had its day. The 
captain said in the evening : " This wind is about 
done now, it will haul around to the eastward, 
going by the north, or it may die away calm and 
haul around by the south." At four in the morn- 
ing I called him and told him there was an easterly 
breeze. 

" Which way did it haul ? " 

"By the north, sir." 

" Didn't I tell you so ? " said the captain. 

The evening we made Cape Cod, the sky began 
to clear in the westward and a light breeze came 
from that direction. "Now," said the captain, 
"we are in for it. It's just my luck. It's going 
to blow a living gale of wind from the nor' west ; 
we shall be driven off the coast and not fetch 
back here for a fortnight," This was rather dis- 
heartening and I couldn't help replying : " If I 
thought so I wouldn't say it, for I think jve have 
had quite trouble enough without borrowing any." 

" I tell }"Ou what it is young man," said the 
captain " there's a difference between borrowing 
trouble and being weather-wise." 

A light westerly breeze blew all the next day. 
We beat up the bay with fine weather and off 
Boston light took the steam-tug " R. B. Forbes," 
which towed us quickly up to Lewis' Wharf, just 
as the day had ended. I heard a familiar voice 
through the darkness, and the ship was no sooner 
fast, than I went over the rail and for two days 



254 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

abandoning myself to the joys of home I tried to 
forget that there ever was a " Ship Dublin." 
Then I visited the ship, and the captain at once 
inquired " Did 3 7 ou notice how it blew last night ? 
I knew it was coming; I'm not often deceived 
about the weather." I received the compliment of 
being asked to make another voyage in the ship 
and the black eyes snapped at my rather perempt- 
ory refusal. 

The owner was offended with me for leaving, 
and finding that I had suffered in his good opinion 
by doing so, I ventured after some days, to excuse 
myself by saying just enough about Capt. Streeter 
to justify my conduct. He was very indignant, 
wouldn't allow such a man to sail for him, but 
didn't see how he could discharge him just then. 
He would tell him to do differently though. One 
of the partners remarked, " Oh, they all swear and 
fight, and Capt. Streeter is the smartest com- 
mander we have ever had." 

He sailed M gain on another Russia vo}-age with 
the olcj. instructions to " use his best efforts to sup- 
press all vice and immorality on board and promote 
the welfare of his crew." How he did it the fol- 
owing letter from Mr. Wright the mate, written 
from Cronstadt will tell : 

" I suppose }*ou would like to hear how this old 
boat gets along and what kind of a voyage we ve 
had so far. When we left the wharf at Boston, 
I called the men to come out of the forecastle and 



ME. weight's letter. 255 

go to work, but the answers I got weren't very 
polite. They called out, 'we want to make our 
beds up ; don't get your temper in an uproar ; don't 
fret ' and some other remarks that you can fancy. 
I got pretty mad, and I just picked up an iron 
belayiug-pin and went into the forecastle and made 
Rome howl. All hands turned on me, and I had 
all the. fighting I wanted. Things got too hot for 
me and I had to go aft and ask the old man to 
come in and help me. I thought he would be very 
glad to have such a chance for " spiflicating 
sailors " as he calls it, and some men I've sailed 
with wouldn't have asked for better sport than to 
walk into those sailors and make them take the meas- 
ure for their coffins on deck. The way the old 
man showed the wdiite 'feather surprised me. He 
got on top of the after-house, with a pistol in his 
hand, and called to the men to come aft, and talked 
to them as mild as a sucking parson. They were 
pretty sullen, and five men swore they wouldn't do 
a hands turn of work on board. The old man told 
me to put them in irons, and I did it without much 
trouble, for they had too much headache to make 
any more fuss. I put a rope through between 
their wrists and triced them up with the main lift 
tackles till their feet only just touched the deck. 
It wasn't long before they wanted to turn to. 
One was hurt so bad that we thought he would 
die, and he has been laid up the whole passage. I 
have had several sprees with the men since, but 



256 ON BOAED THE ROCKET. 

now I only have to hold up my finger and they 
mind me. The old man doesn't say much to the 
sailors, but he's down on the second mate, who is a 
youngster, and doesn't know much, and he hazes 
him when he wants to let off steam. We are . 
loading for Boston, and I hope we will get there 
soon, for I've been about long enough in the " Dub- 
lin." I hope you'll get a good ship and a captain 
that'll suit you, but they are scarce fish to find." 

The ship was sold on her return, and the captain 
entered another employ. His vessel finally went 
to Australia. When riding horseback he was 
thrown, and broke his ankle. The doctors declared 
amputation was necessary. With his usual con- 
tempt for medical opinions he drove them away, 
and thought he could apply to his own case the skill 
he had exercised on Old Harry, but in a few days 
he died of lockjaw. His end appeared significant 
to those who knew how his powers of speech had 
been misused. 



CHAPTER X. 



COAST OF MADAGASCAE. 



" A strong nor' wester' s blowing, Bill; 

Hark! don't ye hear it roar now? 
Lord help 'em, liow I pities them 

Unhappy folks on shore now!" — Wm. Pitt. 

" In noble minds some dregs remain. 

Not yet purged off, of spleen and sour disdain." — Pope t 

"E sighted the coast of Madagascar about Fort 
Dauphin, but at a distance of nearly fifty 
miles, so that our view of it was not very distinct. 
But it is always a pleasure to a sailor to see land, 
and a great relief after many days of wearisome, 
changing, wave scenery to let the eye rest upon the 
everlasting hills. The mountains symbolize stabil- 
ity and unchangeableness, and as the aspirations of 
the heart are ever towards those things most in con- 
trast with present experience, so the sailor's life of 
257 



258 ON BOARD THE ROCKET, 

unrest and variableness disposes his dream of hap- 
piness to be one of enduring repose. This idea 
the land, as contrasted with water expresses to his 
mind. A thrilling sensation always accompanies the 
sound of " Land, ho ! " and longing glances are 
directed to the faintest loom of land in the horizon. 
Our easterly winds continued and took us to the 
coast of Africa, which we sighted about Algoa Bay. 
Then the wind became light and variable and with 
smooth water we sailed slowly along in sight of the 
land for four days. One evening we sighted the 
light on Cape Agulhas, the southeast point of Africa, 
and with the wind freshening at N. N. E. soon ran 
it out of sight on the starboard quarter. Before this 
breeze sprang up we were in company with a large 
ship showing Dutch colors. She sailed alongside of 
us for a considerable time, then slowly gained ahead, 
crossed our bow and in a few minutes disappeared 
from sight, though the twilight gave a long range to 
the vision. Many were the conjectures about her, 
and some of our crew will always believe they saw 
the veritable "Flying Dutchman," the phantom 
ship that is supposed to cruise off the Cape of Good 
Hope. The legend concerning her, as many will 
remember, is, that a Dutch captain, who had en- 
countered very severe gales, was advised to put the 
ship back to a port of distress, but swearing a ter- 
rible oath he declared he would beat around the 
Cape if it took him till the Day of Judgment. In 
punishment for his sin he is doomed to battle with 



A LOW" BAROMETER. 259 

the elements until that day, and his battered hulk, 
with threadbare sails and skeleton crew haunts the 
southern sea. 

At eight in the evening we passed another ship 
bound the same way, but under close-reefed top- 
sails, whereas we had the royals set. We hailed her 
and found she was the " Meteor " from Batavia, but 
whither she was bound, or where she hailed from, 
we failed to learn, for we went by her so fast there 
was no time for further questions. 

" What can she be doing under that sail ? " asked 
the mate. 

" O, she has got a prudent captain," I replied. 
" The barometer has been down low for the last two 
days and no doubt there is a gale of wind coming 
on. I can't take in sail though in this country, with 
a fair wind blowing, until I see the breeze coming. 
Every mile here is precious and as long as there is 
a chance to gain ahead we must use it. 'But you 
must keep your eyes peeled to-night for nor'west 
"squalls." 

-At ten o'clock I carefully inspected the wind and 
weather. It was a bright starlight night, with not 
a cloud to be seen, except that ahead in the horizon 
was a low streak that looked like a fog bank. A 
fresh breeze was blowing from the northward driv- 
ing the ship along nine knots, with the yards just 
clear of the backstays, all sail being set. The mate 
had the watch on deck, and I said to him, '* This is 
fine, I only hope it will last, but the glass says, No. 



260 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

However, very likely we'll have good warning be- 
fore the change comes. Keep a sharp lookout and 
if it breezes on, or the weather looks threatening, 
get the light sails off of her and give me a call." 

In half an hour after that, the mate shouted 
" clew up the fore royal," but no sooner had they 
let go the halyards than a furious blast from the 
north-west struck her flat aback. The helm was 
put hard up and having a good deal of headway 
the vessel fortunately "fell off." None of the 
watch below needed a call for every one was out 
of his bunk in a few seconds as the bark, nearly 
on her beam ends, and the shaking sails, gave their 
own summons. I was on deck promptly and 
shouted, "• Lower down the spanker ; " but the 
mate had his men forward hauling down the jib 
and flying-jib, for the sheets had parted and the 
sails were blowing into ribbons. The second mate 
got his watch along aft as soon as possible, and in 
the meantime I jumped on top of the after-house 
to let go the spanker throat-halyards. As I passed 
forward of the mizzen-mast to go to leeward, the 
wind and the inclination of the vessel gave me a 
slide, and away I went head foremost off the house 
on to the main deck. I had on rubber boots with 
my pants tucked into them, and as I fell the belay- 
ing-pin of the main brace went up the right boot 
leg and there I hung, heels up and head down in 
the lee-scuppers, while the good bark was lying 
beam on to the hurricane, which threatened every 



A CAPE OF GOOD HOPE GALE. 261 

moment to dismast her, and in the meantime was 
blowing to pieces a number of her sails. The 
night was pitchy dark and the rain poured in large 
drops which, with the force of the wind, struck like 
hail, while the storm roared with a sound such as 
that with which the express train affrights one 
who stands on the platform of a country station 
past which it flies. I managed to extricate myself 
from this awkward position, and crawling to wind- 
ward renewed the directions for shortening sail. 
The vessel was run off to 'the S. E. for two hours 
while we took in and furled every sail except the 
close-reefed main-topsail and then she was brought 
to the wind on the port tack. 

That was a night we long remembered, and a 
hard time the crew had furling the wet sails in the 
cold rain, but there was one alleviation to their dis- 
comfort, for I had the cook " roused out " and 
ordered him to make coffee for all hands j and as 
soon as she was hove to, a mug of hot coffee and 
a cake of hard bread gave them one of the greatest 
treats they ever had in their lives. 

" The prudent captain got the best of it this 
time,*' I said to the mate. 

" I'm not so sure of that, sir," said he ; " if he's 
been waiting two days for the wind to blow- we've 
gained enough distance on him to pay for a good 
deal more damage than we've got." 

" But it's a lucky job we did not lose our 
masts," I said ; "if there had been a flaw anywhere 



262 ON BOAED THE EOCKET. - 

they would have gone. Things held on well, 

Didn't it give you any warning ? " 

"No, sir," said the mate. " That bank that was 
hanging there ahead, when you were on deck, was 
what did the mischief. It seemed to hold about 
so and didn't look very threatening, but in five 
minutes it spread right up over the sky. I made a 
start to get sail in before it struck her, but I 
wasn't in time." 

The gale blew very hard through the night and 
continued for seven days, but it moderated at 
times so that we set the whole topsails for a few 
hours. Four different times we were obliged to 
heave to under the close-reefed main-topsail and 
once it was " goose-winged." This time it blew a 
fearful gale. There was a black overcast sky, 
hanging so low down that it seemed not far above 
the mast heads, and driving across with great 
rapidity. Hard hail-squalls now and then passed 
over, and every face had to be shielded from the 
stinging violence of the hailstones. The sea was 
tremendous. At times there would be but one 
wave in sight, that, the whole ocean, and towering 
high up above the rail almost even with the tops 
it would come rolling on seeming to bear inevitable 
destruction ; but as it approached, the good bark 
would gradually mount up its side, and then be 
whirled up and lifted over its summit like a little 
toy. As the waves broke, the wind lifted the 
whole crest into its arms and bore it onward. 





//// I \\\\\\\\W^ 



//// 



///// 




\ N 



\ \ 



Fishing off the Cape. 



THE TRACK. 265 

mingling sea and air, driving the spray in hori- 
zontal lines high aloft across the ship. At about 
two o'clock in the afternoon a sea broke alongside 
and a good portion of its top came tumbling in 
over the weather rail. Nothing could resist its 
force. In went the galley and forecastle doors, 
the water-cask lashings gave way, the pig-pen on 
the main hatch was smashed all to pieces, the spare 
main-yard broke adrift, and the sea, having spent 
its force, found a passage for itself through the 
lee ports. 

After this gale a calm prevailed for a few hours 
and we heeded Horsburgh's praise of the fishing 
on the Banks of Agulhas, by trying our fortune 
with the line. The only result, however, was the 
accompanying sketch of the performance. 

By these gales we lost eight days on our passage 
and only gained one hundred miles in nine days, 
an inspection of our track for ten clays will ^show 
how hard it is sometimes for sailing vessels to make 
quick passages. 



EUvetxth aeju 




Jlrst. dajj 



266 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

When fifty days out we sighted the revolving 
light on Cape of Good Hope, and the next day hav- 
ing a light westerly wind we stood along the coast 
to the northward and enjoyed a fine view of Table 
Mountain. 

This turning of the corner was a joyous event. 
Now we pointed the ship's head, towards home and 
realized that we were actually bound there, which it 
was hard to do while our course had any southing 
in it. Fine weather regions lay before us, and an 
immense load was removed from the captain's mind 
by the safe "doubling of the Cape/' 

South-east winds set in next, and we went " roll- 
ing down to St. Helena" before fresh trades, 
with very fine weather. 

The steady winds and settled weather of the 
South Atlantic are always taken advantage of by 
the homeward bound ships to tar down the rigging, 
paint and " fix up " generally for port. It is cus- 
tomary to keep all hands then, even in ships where 
it is not the continual practice. That is, instead of 
having only half of the crew at work at a time and 
alternating every four hours, all hands are kept on 
deck in the afternoon from one o'clock until six. 
They all get dinner together at twelve and no work 
is done from noon until one. At one all " turn to," 
and either all hands get supper together at six, or 
one watch gets their's at half-past five and the other 
at six. Under the watch and watch system a sailor 
is on deck ten hours out of the twenty-four on one 



WATCH A^D WATCH. 26? 

day and fourteen hours on the next, making twenty- 
four hours of work and twenty-four of rest in forty- 
eight. In the all-hands system a man is on deck 
thirteen hours one day and fourteen and a half the 
next, making twenty-seven and a half hours of work 
and twenty and a half of rest in forty-eight. To 
the advocates of the eight-hour system, this may 
seem an undue proportion of working hours, but 
it is to be remembered, however, that half of these 
hours occur in the night time, when, if the wind 
is steady and weather fine, there' is no work to be 
done, and if the helmsman and the lookout are 
wide awake and the crew answer promptly to a sum- 
mons, it would not be noticed in most ships if the 
men stole a nap on deck between times. But in 
" hard ships " the men are always kept moving. 
The officers of course at all times in their watch on 
deck must be wide awake and, it is presumed, on 
their feet, go that keeping all hands is more of a 
privation to them than it is to the sailors. 

The mate asked me one night after we got past 
the Cape, if he should begin now to keep all hands 
until the work was done. 

a Do you think you could get the work done with 
watch and watch? " 

" I suppose we could," said the mate, " but we 
shall have to keep driving at it right up to Boston 
Light." 

" Did you ever go through the trades with watch 
and watch ? " 1 asked. 



268 Oitf BOARD THE EOCKET. 

" No, sir, I never did," said the mate. 

" Well, I never did myself till last voyage, then 
I was so well pleased with the result that I should 
like to try it again. The voyage before that, I came 
on deck one night, while we were keeping all hands, 
and found the second mate sitting on the bumpkin, 
his arms on the rail and his head buried down in 
them, while he was snoring after the style called 
' driving the pigs to market.' The next daj" I had 
a talk with him about his neglect of duty. He 
acknowledged his fault, but said it occurred in spite 
of all he could do. He said he had tried every 
way he could think of to keep himself awake. He 
had walked the deck until he was compelled from 
sheer exhaustion to sit down, for it was a hot sultry 
night, and he had been on his legs all day long. 
He assured me very earnestly that he had not neg- 
lected his duty intentionally. Said he : ' Cap'n, 
did you ever have any fault to find with the way I 
kept the night watch before we had all hands ? ' 

' No,' I answered, ' none whatever.' 

' No, sir,' he said, ' and I am sure you had no 
occasion to. Excuse me,' said he, ' I don't mean to 
growl at your way of doing things, but I can't feel 
that an officer is greatly to blame if he is drowsy 
at night in an all-hands ship. I was studying it 
all out last night while I was dragging myself fore 
and aft the deck trying to keep awake, and this was 
what I made out : I get nineteen hours to myself 
out of forty-eight, and when you take out meal- 



WATCH AND WATCH. 269 

times, dog-watch, a little time for keeping clothes 
in order and what time I give up to the ship in my 
watch below to help things along, I can't get more 
than twelve hours' sleep in two days. Six hours a 
day is thought a small allowance on shore where a 
man can sleep it right through. But our rest is so 
broken I don't believe it does as much good. 
Three hours and a half or four hours is the longest 
sleep one can get at a time, and then he has to 
stand four hours on deck before he has a chance to 
get another cat nap.' 

"I felt he had a good deakof truth on his side, 
though I didn't like to tell him 'so, and I thought 
'a good deal about it afterwards. The next voyage 
I resolved to try how watch and watch would 
work, and when we got into the S. E. trades, home- 
ward bound, I told the mate to say to the men : 
' There's just so much work that's got to be done 
before this ship reaches port ; now if you can do 
it with watch and watch, you shall have it, but if 
there's any ' sogering ' or loafing you'll be kept up 
in the afternoon.' 

"We began it. The men all worked with a will, 
and I am certain that as much was done as on the 
previous voyage. I took special pains to compare, 
and all through I noticed that there was more 
drive, and less loafing, going for a drink, turns 
round the foremast, and long spells at the grind- 
stone. On some of the large jobs, too, I had a good 
chance to judge. I suppose there's no job that ad- 



270 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

mits of as many ' soger moves ' as scrubbing ship 
outside. The men come up on deck every little 
while to haul up or ' fleet ' the stages they are 
working on, and then they spin out the time before 
they get back by sharpening knives and scrapers, 
or getting a drink, and a good many other moves 
that every one knows, who has ever had to follow 
up old sailors. 

" When we had all hands we scrubbed the ship 
around outside in one day and thought we had 
done a smart piece of work ; but with watch and 
watch we scrubbed her and cleaned the chain- 
plates below the channels, beside, in the. same time, 
and as far as I could see the work was done fully 
as well. The difference was, that the men all felt 
an interest in showing how the watch and watch 
system would work, and there was no dodging, or 
loafing, or spinning 3 T arns on the stages. 

"• Now I should like to have you do the same 
thing this passage, and the fact is, I want to see it 
proved a second time before I go over to it alto- 
gether." 

The next Monday the sailors supposed that we 
should begin of course to keep all hands in the 
afternoon, and when eight bells was struck at 
noon, the}^ all opened their ears and looked out of 
the corners of their eyes at the mate, waiting for 
the expected and dreaded order, " All hands get 
dinner." But nothing was said, and the men kept 
on with their work, with their brains full of sur- 





Second officer sitting for his portrait belaying pin in hand. 



WATCH AND WATCH. 273 

mises as to what it meant. At one bell, when the 
watch came out, the mate mustered all hands at 
the main-hatch, and said to them : " Men, the cap- 
tain says he's willing to give you watch and watch 
all the time, if you can get the work done. But 
this bark has got to be put in just as fine order as 
any ship that ever went into Boston harbor. Now 
we'll try you and see what you can do. But if 
the work lags, or there's any hanging back, I'll 
have you out." 

So we went to work with the watch, fitting the 
rigging, and tarring down. The men did as well 
as we could wish, things went on quietly, and the 
work disappeared day by day faster than we had 
expected. 

The crew presented a rather uncouth appearance 
on deck during this period, for one suit of clothes 
was devoted to serve through the tarring and then 
go overboard. The officers were not much more 
attractive in appearance, as the second mate's 
portrait will testify. 

It had a good moral effect to secure one day's 
cleanliness out of seven, the result of our system 
of services in the cabin on Sunday. 

The sailors in the Rocket were favored with good 
living, watch and watch, and kind treatment. They 
were never cursed, nor called by hard names. In- 
struction was given to those who desired it, and 
religious influences pervaded the vessel. The voy- 



274 ON BOAED THE EOCKET. 

age was a pleasant one. Fine weather and favoring 
breezes usually prevailed, and the fairest regions of 
earth were visited. If sailors could ever be happy 
and contented, these circumstances, which probably 
were in marked contrast to the experiences of many, 
should have produced this result upon that crew. 

When the voyage commenced they had no praise 
too good to bestow. They allowed they were in a 
good ship ; the captain was the best man they ever 
sailed with ; the officers were perfect gentlemen ; 
the "grub" was first-rate. But, on the homeward 
passage, although everything was the same as when 
outward bound, the sailors sat down on their chests 
in the forecastle with their feast of " soft-tack " and 
apple-sauce in their pans, and, as the saying is, they 
growled like bears with sore heads. Their behavior 
on deck and manner of working was unexception- 
able, but if their life and talk in the forecastle were 
chronicled it would convey the impression that 
thej 7 considered themselves an ill-used, poorly-fed 
and oppressed set of men. 

The mate one evening practised an eaves-dropping 
in which he proved the truth of the old proverb, 
"listeners never hear any good of themselves." 
Old Nielson, a Swede, the best sailor-man in the 
ship, with his mouth stuffed nearly full of molasses 
gingerbread, was leading the growl. Said he, " I've 
been to sea thirty -two years and I never sailed in 
a worse ship than this is. Nobody aft knows what 



sailors' growls. 275 

we get to eat, and that nigger gives us just as little 
as lie likes. Last ship I was in the cap'n or mate 
went into the galley every day and saw things were 
cooked right and plenty of 'em, but here we don't 
get any more notice taken of us than though we 
were a parcel of dogs. If the old man had some 
crews with him I bet he wouldn't impose on them. 
But sailors don't seem to have any spunk now-a- 
days, same as they used to. There's a whole barrel 
of vinegar down below, and yet we can't have but 
two bottles full a week. What does he want to 
carry it home for ? He's keeping it back just to 
spite us. Do you call that being a Christian? I 
call him a mean old skin-flint ; if he's going to 
heaven, I don't want to go there." 

Now what did all this mean ? Why, just this. 
They had found some of the gingerbread not done 
quite through. That was all. On board of most 
ships they would have been hard at work with " all 
hands on deck," all the afternoon, and had hard 
bread and beef only for supper. No doubt they 
would have enlivened the meal by growling about 
that in just the same way. In spite of all his mut- 
terings in the forecastle, this man Nielson would 
come out on deck and be a model man in his be- 
havior. His cheerful, "Aye, aye, sir!" would 
ring out to every order, and his respectful manners 
joined to his good seamanship had made him a 
favorite with captain and officers. 

The explanation of this unreasonable conduct ia 



276 ON BOARD THE EOCKET. 

that expressed in the well-known lines of Dr. 
Watts : 

" Let bears and lions growl and fight, 
For 'tis their nature to." 

So it is with an old sailor, he must growl. Officers 
of ships often say, they would not give a snap for a 
sailor that didn't growl, and there is a good deal of 
truth in the remark. It by no means follows that 
all who growl are good men, but it is certainly a 
fact that most of the thorough-going old sailors are 
inveterate growlers. 

This growling is a natural result of the life they 
lead. Spleen enters more or less into the consti- 
tution of every one's character, and all, at times, 
desire an opportunity of exercising this latent spite 
upon some person or thing. 

The man on shore has a wide range of objects 
upon which to scatter it. There are his household 
and family arrangements, his employment and bus- 
iness relations, the religious tenets of others, the 
affairs of his city and -the politics of the country. 
Pie comes home from his day's business with an ac- 
cumulation of spleen, resulting from numerous 
annoyances. His good breeding and consideration 
perhaps keep him from venting it upon his family, 
and he holds it in until after tea ; then he takes up 
the evening paper, glances over its ^contents and 
entertains his patient . wife or a friendly neighbor 
with a good, hearty growl about the stupidity of 
the cabinet officers, the short-sightedness of the 



SAILORS' GROWLS. . 277 

President, the absurdity of the financial policy, and 
then berates a politician for his foolish speech. Now 
his pent-up wrath has escaped. He feels easier. 
Gradually cheerful conversation creeps in as his 
shrewd companion notices his subsiding temper. 
Soon all his vexations have escaped his mind or 
become far lighter burdens, and the next morning 
he walks down town with a good courage and joy- 
ous heart. 

But as for Jack, what are his diversions of mind ? 
What does he care for politics or religion or finance ? 
Or, if he does care, where are the newspapers and 
the evening caller? Where are the public amuse- 
jnents or the endearments and consolations of social 
life ? There are almost no occurrences to direct 
his thoughts away from a continual contemplation 
of, and brooding over the unpleasant circumstances 
of his life, and for lack of these he must continue 
to dwell upon the sole objects which interest him, 
and as a natural result their importance is magni- 
fied and the habit of such contemplation increases 
with every voyage. 

When the mate reported the "growl" he had 
overheard, I said, "If I was a betting man I would 
lay a heavy wager that the day old Nielson arrives 
in port he will say I am the best captain he ever 
sailed with, and he never in his life sailed in such a 
good ship before." An exact verification of this 
remark occurred on arrival. It happened that the 
mate was riding in a horse-car, when old Nielson 



278 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

came in and sat beside him. He began to talk over 
the voyage, and soon exclaimed, "I've been to sea 
thirty-two years and that's the best ship ever I 
sailed in, and if I go to sea all my life, I never expect 
to find another man like our captain." This speech 
was very likely as far from the truth as were the 
growls uttered at sea, but it illustrates a proverbial 
habit of the sailor, to complain of his present cir- 
cumstances and speak well of the past. Amidst 
the growling of the forecastle it is seldom that "last 
ship that I was in " is mentioned without praise. 
This fact ought to be remembered' to the sailor's 
credit. However ungrateful and unappreciative he 
may appear with regard to his lot, in his memories 
the bright things are uppermost, and he is not 
prone to speak evil of old scenes and associates 
without good reason. 

Reflections upon the incident narrated led to the 
attempt to illustrate the subject in rhyme, by verses, 
to be called " Sailors' Opinions," which were to be 
divided into two parts, entitled " This Ship," and 
" Last Ship." In this effort it was designed to por- 
tray a sailor's comments upon the ship he was then 
sailing in, and the same man's expressions concern- 
ing the same ship, uttered during his next voyage 
in another vessel. They are produced here, as they 
may be recognized as truthful by some who have 
lived in a ship's forecastle. It may be premised 
that sailors in the watch below generally talk in 
the evening from eight till half-past eight (one bell), 



sailors' growls. 279 

and this is a favorite time for " growls." When 
one bell strikes, pipes drop from the mouth, growls 
cease and snores begin. 



SAILORS' OPINIONS. 
Part I. 

"THIS SHIP." 

SCENE. — A ship's forecastle — Crew in their bunks 

Jack loqicitur. 

I've followed the sea over thirty- two years, 
In the Navy, hard Packets and wild Privateers ; 
But of all the old vessels that ever I cursed, 
Just shiver my timbers if this ain't the worst. 

The bloody old wall-sided cranky concern — 

I think every squall she is sure to o'erturn, 

And the way that she rolls and goes pitching' about 

Would have made all the patience of Job fizzle out. 

It's enough to provoke a good parson to swear, 
To see the bad way her old rotten sails tear, 
And I never go higher aloft than the top 
Without fear that the foot-ropes will give me a drop. 

I wonder those owners are suffered to live 
Who send out a ship that will leak like a sieve, 
Which every time that she gives a bad jump 
Makes fifty more strokes to be worked at the pump. 

We ought to arrest the old man as a cheat 

For bringing us here where there's nothing to eat ; 



280 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

It's a terrible shame for an old Yankee tub 
To feed her good men with such horrible grub. 

To be sure, he now and then gives us some flour ; 
But the mean dirty rat, it's because it's gone sour, 
And as for his pies and the dried apple sauce, 
I'd a precious deal rather have good old salt horse. 

We slave every week day on board of the craft, 
But on Sunday the hvpocrite makes us come aft — 
He preaches an hour about Christian hopes, 
Then sends us on deck to give swigs at the ropes. 

There's a heap of good sense in the famous old rule 
Always choose a big rascal before a great fool. 
And one thing I promise, whatever may happen, 
I'll not sail again with a psalm-singing Cap'n. 

The ship must have been in amazing great straits 
When she took such poor things as these men are for 

mates. 
It worries one's temper beyond all its bounds 
To be bossed round the decks by such humbugging 

hounds. 

Nov/ ! shipmates, you know I'm not given to growl, 

And I hate a bad temper with all of my soul ; 

But worked and most starved till one scarcely can 

crawl, 
A man that won't growl is just no man at all. 



SAILORS' OPINIONS. 

Part ii. 

" last ship." 

LAST time I went to sea 
I sailed on board the Rocket ; 
Those were good days for me 
And money in my pocket. 

She was a perfect boat, 
An easy one to handle — 
For speed no ship afloat 
Could hold to her a candle. 

She tacked just like a yacht 
And lay to like a duck ; 
If others thrived or not 
She always was in luck. 

The owners fitted out 

In such a liberal way, 

All things were trim and stout 

From keel to royal stay. 

281 



282 ON BOARD THE EOCKET. 

The captain was a trump — ■ 
A perfect " saint in boots " ; 
He never gave a thump 
To greenhorns nor galoots. 

The mates were tip-top men, 
Gave us our watch below ; 
No oaths and curses then 
Though it blew high or low. 

We mustered aft to prayer 
And navigation classes — 
We had the best of fare 
And lots of duff and 'lasses 

I've sailed for many a year 
And soon will have to dock it ; 
But while I've breath I'll cheer 
And bras: about the Rocket. 



Even in the cabin there was a tendency to dis- 
satisfaction, and the passenger expressed his weari- 
ness of our simple and restricted fare by compos- 
ing a parody on the " Ode to the Rocket," in 
which she was abused as heartily as any old sailor 
could have done it. His pencil was also called 
into requisition, and the scantiness of fare on the 
cabin table was graphically portrayed. 

Sea life is a severe test of disposition, and it 
must be a remarkable amiability which can endure 
its vicissitudes without complaint. Lord Byron's 
prescription for truly knowing a man : " Go to 



passenger's growls. 283 

sea with him," is certainly correct, as regards 
knowledge of a man's temper. 

The first verse of the Parody will serve as an 
example of its sentiment : 



"IN THE DOLDRUMS — HOMEWARD BOUND. 



The Rocket is an old tub's name, 

An aged Boston bark ; 
Her lack of speed is known to fame, 

As I need not remark. 
For fifteen years she's rolled and pitched, 

And leaked in every clime, 
She's worn out two old captains 

And a young one in his prime. 

Chorus. — The Rocket we won't praise, 
For she's a wretched bark, 
Homelier than Joe Bowers' dog, 
And slower than Noah's ark." 



Our stock of conversation got low after so long 
a season of intercourse, and many trivial arguments 
were sustained for lack of better material. Per- 
haps the most frequent of these minor themes was 
the question, whether the dish which sailors always 
call " Hash," was properly hash or minced meat. 

One of our greatest causes of annoyance, and 



284 ON BOAED THE EOCKET. 

a frequent occasion of growls was the presence of 
cockroaches, in numbers which can only be ex- 
pressed by millions. The vessel for some time past, 
had been making yearly voyages, which brought 
her home in the summer and kept her in the Trop- 
ics in the winter, so this army had never been ex- 
posed to the potent destroyer, cold weather. They 
were not the little creatures that housekeeepers 
are unpleasanly familiar with, but were almost more 
like birds than insects, and carried out this resem- 
blance in certain conditions of the atmosphere, 
when they took to flying, tempting one to jump 
overboard to escape their attacks against his head. 
They were omnipresent day and night, alive, dead, 
whole or in parts. They eat the bindings of books 
and everything that had paste in its composition, 
and their especial relish seemed to be for pomade. 
In spite of all precautions so many had encamped 
in the sugar, we had to pass our tea through a 
strainer, and there was but little food free fiom 
their presence or flavor, after it was sweetened. 
Were it a less disgusting subject I could fill a 
volume with accounts of these creatures. I will 
only add one of the many experiences with them. 
The} r were very fond of frequenting my cabinet 
organ, and often while I was playing a note would 
become dumb. An inspection would usually show 
a cockroach leg caught by the reeds as its proprietor 
passed over them and left it behind him. A ship 
at San Francisco had to pay twenty thousand dol- 




Illustrated bill of fare, " Spuds and Soft Tack." 



COCHKOACHES. 287 

lars for damages clone to the cargo by cockroaches. 
The organ on leaving Padang had a more agreeable 
inmate, which remained in it for several weeks, a 
cricket, who entertained us with his evening chirp, 
and lulled one to sleep with the pleasing fancy that 
he was on shore. 



CHAPTER XI. 



SAILORS RESOURCES. 

"Necessity, the mother of invention." — FarquJiar. 

"A knock-down argument; 'tis but a word and a blow." 

— Dry den. 

FERTILITY of resources is one of the most de- 
sirable traits of character to the seaman. 
His limited means and appliances beget contrivance 
and invention, and he naturally acquires a facility 
in accomplishing work under difficulties. His 
whole mode of life is an exemplification of the 
possibility of making much out of little. The 
sailor, with his " chest " for a chair, his knees for a 
table, the sheath-knife and spoon his only utensils, 
secures his food with all the necessary benefit. 
With the scant}- sewing materials, buttons, pins and 
knicknacks jumbled together in his " ditty box," 

288 



sailors' resources. 289 

he contrives to mend his clothes or rig the model 
of a ship in his spare hours. 

The carpenter, with his hammer and hatchet, does 
an amount of execution astonishing to the shore arti- 
zan, who has well filled tool-racks. The cook would 
likewise startle, perhaps offend, the ladies sensibil- 
ities by the manner in which his appurtenances do 
manifold duties, besides those considered appropri- 
ate. The mate racks his brain daily to discover how 
to repair a sail without canvas, mend a chain with- 
out spare links, paint ship without brushes, or tar the 
rigging without tar. The captain is as much put to it 
as any one in contriving for all the departments un- 
der his care. So they become Jacks of all trades, 
and too often masters of none. One "incident of a 
personal nature will illustrate the manner in which 
necessity often becomes the mother of invention 
on ship-board. One day when off the west coast 
of Sumatra, the carpenter was caulking. and pay- 
ing the deck-seams. I picked up a little bit of his 
pitch and put it in my mouth, but soon removed it 
with the gold fillings from two teeth attached. 
Severe toothache soon followed. At Padang I en- 
quired for a dentist, but to learn that none of those 
kindly torturers had yet located there. The sur- 
geon of the place would extract the teeth for 
twenty dollars apiece, but the pleasure of paying 
this moderate sum was no inducement to lose the 
"ivories." But the cavities must be filled to ex- 
clude the air. Boy Frank had been in a dentist's 



290 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

office, so he was summoned to the council on the 
old man's toothache. He put in a filling of pitch 
and then of rubber, but they were not destined to 
remain. Finally, at sea the pain induced the reso- 
lution to part with the teeth. Frank was called 
again. There were no forceps in the ship, and an 
investigation of all the implements led to the selec- 
tion of my spring-punch. The tooth of this was 
removed, the carpenter filed the lips to make them 
tenacious of grip, the big Webster's dictionary was 
laid on the cabin table, and resting my head back 
upon this, Dr. Frank made a desperate effort to 
pull out teeth, gum and jaw at one attack. He 
was speedily driven on deck, and warned not to try 
that again. 'At last he thought of an amalgam 
filling, but how should it be obtained ? I possessed a 
silver ten-cent piece, saved from the obliterating 
ravages of the age of Greenbacks. This I filed 
into dust, and after a serious consideration my 
thermometer-tube was broken, the mercury was 
extracted and mingled with the silver. Then lay- 
ing my head once more on the dictionary, the cav- 
ities were effectually filled, the only instruments 
used by the dentist being a crotchet needle and a 
screw-driver. It was not till three years after, that 
other fillings were substituted by an American 
dentist in China, who laughed as much at my story 
of the previous operation, as I did at his account 
of the way the King of Siam tested the set of teeth 
made for him, by putting this worthy dentist's hand 



SATLOKS 7 EESOUECES. 291 

in his mouth, and nearly biting off the fingers. He 
was not so much injured, however, as to be unable 
to carry off the bag of a thousand dollars in gold, 
the price of his work. 

Speaking of tarring without tar reminds me how 
this difficulty was overcome. Having had a great 
deal of work, turning in and fitting the rigging, 
the supply of tar gave out, and when we reached 
the south-east trades in the Atlantic, and were 
rolling down to St. Helena, an inspection of the 
tar-barrel showed it was only fit for a bonfire on 
the next dark night. How should we make the 
rigging black and shiny? was the query of 
thoughts, dreams and discussions in succeeding 
days and nights. I will confess what I did, but 
do not recommend the process. Two bundles of 
rattans were chopped up and consumed in the 
cook's stove with the draft checked. The ashes 
were placed in a barrel and pounded fine with 
an impromptu pestle, then linseed oil and varnish 
were added, and with this production, well stirred, 
all the ropes were "tarred" with such good effect 
that many old sailors admired the black gloss of 
the rigging as they inspected the vessel at Central 
Wharf. But using up the paint oil for this, brought 
about another crisis. How should we paint ship ? 
That was most essential to our good appearance. 
After many experiments the kerosene oil was se- 
lected to serve as the substitute, the sailors' whale 
oil was appropriated to caloin use, and Jack was 



292 OK BOARD THE ROCKET. 

invited to illuminate his premises with a slush 
lamp, a wick floated in beef fat contained in a tin 
can. So the ship was painted ! These are samples 
of the makeshifts of sea life. 

The first moonless evening was appointed for 
the final ending of the tar-barrel. It was sawn in 
two, the smaller half being chopped up and depos- 
ited with the carpenter's chips and shavings in the 
remaining part. A bit of old rope from the 
" shakings barrel " suspends it over the side, while 
the cook with a fire-brand ignites the contents. 
As the flames gather volume the barrel is dropped 
into the sea. The- sailors spring to the rail or into 
the rio'fnn^ to watch it as it emerges from under 
the ship's counter and is left astern in the wake. 
For awhile it blazes fiercely and continuously, 
then it disappears — ah, it's gone ! No, the. .swell 
hides it. There it is again ! Its disappearances 
and reappearances occur at gradually lengthening 
•intervals till it no longer can be seen from deck. 
The second mate runs half way up the mizzen- 
rigging and exclaims, " I see it." Soon he shouts 
" I can just see it from the topmast cross-trees." 
Then it is given up, faces are turned from the 
stern to the bow, for the gaze on shipboard is 
always forward, seldom backwards, and as the ship 
presses on into the dark night, we think with sub- 
dued feelings of the lost light, and fall to moraliz- 
ing or musing as the disposition of each inclines 
him. 



A WILD SHIP. 293 

The south-east trades took us to the line and then 
the doldrums raged again, but instead of giving a 
repetition of the miseries of this region I will re- 
late the second mate's yarn about a " Wild Ship." 

One calm night in the doldrums I went on 
deck in the middle watch to see if there were any 
signs of a breeze. The moon " had scoffed the 
clouds," and shone brilliantly upon the glassy sea. 
The courses were hauled up, jib and stay-sails 
hauled down, and the vessel made no motion 
ahead. I felt that I could not sleep till a breeze 
came and thought I would stay on deck and help 
the second mate keep his watch; so I called him 
to me, and as we leaned over the rail, I said, " Mr. 
Bangs, I believe you told me you sailed in the 
' Bloodhound ' once. I should like to hear about 
your voyage." 

So he told the following yarn : 

" When I got home from Australia in the'' Grace 
Darling,' after I'd had a lively time on the Cape, 
and my money began to get low, I went up to 
Boston to the Sailors' Home and began to look for 
a ship. My chum Bill Holmes and I made up our 
minds we would sail together again, and as we 
cruised about the wharves, we came across the 
ship ' Bloodhound ' lying at India wharf. She 
was an extreme clipper, eighteen hundred tons 
register, and the handsomest vessel I ever clapped 
eyes on. I was told she was bound out to ' Frisco,' 
and that evening I asked the Superintendent of the 



294 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

Home about her, for I felt rather shy of those 
crack California clippers. I had been shipmates 
with a man who was with Bully Woodman in the 
' Sea Witch.' He had a fashion of shooting at 
the men aloft with a revolver, or would let go the 
topsail halyards when men were on the yard and 
shake them overboard. His owners paid him five 
thousand dollars a year and fighting expenses, and 
sometimes these were pretty heavy. They used to 
clear the ship out with another captain, and put 
Woodman aboard at Sandy Hook, for it was hard 
to ship a crew to sail with him. There were sev- 
eral men of that style in those clippers, and I 
thought the Superintendent would know if the 
'Bloodhound' was a safe boat to go in. He said 
she belonged to Jones and Thompson one of the 
most respectable firms in Boston. Deacon Jones 
was a member of Old South church, a tip-top man. 
He often gave lectures to young men about good 
principles and success in life, and it was certain he 
wouldn't allow any ' bullyragging ' in one of his 
ships, for he was a good friend of sailors. 

" We went to the shipping-office next daj r and 
found the articles just opened, and Bill and I were 
the first ones that signed. In a week we went on 
board, and just as we hauled out from the wharf 
the mate came over the rail with his duds._ 

' Halloa ! ' said one of the men ; ' I'll be blowed 
if we haven't Johnny Clarkson for mate, and he's 
the biggest rascal" that ever walked a ship's deck.' 



A WILD SHIP. 295 

" It seemed that the reason why the mate didn't 
join the ship any sooner, was, because he was such 
a notorious scoundrel that it would be very hard 
to ship a crew if it was known that he was to go 
in her ; so the captain or owners kept him out of 
sight, until the last moment," when all the crew were 
on board, and the steam-tug alongside, and then 
he made his appearance. 

" The ship came to anchor in the stream as the 
wind was ahead, and when we got below that night 
into the forecastle, there were great yarns a-going 
about the mate. The Dutchmen got scared half out 
of their wits, and made up their minds to be mur- 
dered before they were a month older. 

" There was a man named Jackson on board, who 
was boatswain of the 'Flying Cloud,' in Hong 
Kong, when Clarkson was there, mate of the ' Black 
Squall.' 

" He was the chap that first spotted him when he 
came on board, and he told hard stories about his 
carryings on and the number of sailors he had mur- 
dered. 

" The old man stayed ashore, and that night the 
mate and passenger got to drinking in the cabin, 
and about ten o'clock the mate came forward, ' three 
sheets in the wind, and the fourth shaking.' He 
couldn't find any one on the watch, and while he 
was prjdng about forward, he tumbled over the 
chain-cable, and hurt himself some, I guess, by the 
noise he made. Then he called all hands, and got 



296 ON BOAED THE BOCKET. 

the whole thirty of us out on deck. He gave us a 
lecture in rather a different style from the owner's 
speeches. He called us all ' the sons of sea-cooks,' 
that he could twist round his tongue, and cursed 
us in a way that made our blood run cold ; about 
all we could make out was, that he was Johnny 
Clarkson, and was going to jump down our throats, 
drive us around, play the mischief, and kill Injuns 
generally. At last, he set the watch and sent us 
below saying, ' Remember, I'm Johnny Clarkson,' 

" We thought we'd got enough of an introduction, 
and if we could have helped ourselves we wouldn't 
have continued the acquaintance ; but there was 
no backing out then. 

" The next morning the captain and his wife came 
off in a steam-tug, and we got underway and 
towed out past the light. 

" The ' old man ' Was a Dane, or some kind of a 
Dutchman, named Johnson ; that's all I know 
about him or his wife, except that the passenger 
told me in ' Frisco,' that he wrote home to his 
friends, that the captain was a demon and his wife 
was a she devil. 

" While we were making sail on the ship, the 
mate travelled about the decks, raving like a 
madman. He thought one man didn't haul hard 
enough on the main-topsail hazards, so he cursed 
him and called him a bad name. The man gave 
him a ' black look ' in return, and Clarkson knocked 
him down senseless, with a big gash cut in his head, 



A WILD SHIP. 29? 

with an iron belaying-pin. When the yard was 
mastheaded he sung out, ' haul that thing out of the 
way and belay.' 

" All hands were kept up in the afternoon and, if 
there was any excuse to be found for doing it, the 
watch below would often be called out in the fore- 
noon. Every order was accompanied by an oath, 
and belaying-pins, and leading-blocks were hurled 
about the deck at any one that didn't move on the 
'clean jump.' Things went on this way for about 
a fortnight, without anything very particular hap- 
pening, except that somebody got licked nearly 
every watch, and then we had a little the biggest 
row that ever I saw aboard of a ship. 

" We were running down the north-east trades 
with all our port stu'n'sails set, and at eleven o'clock 
one night in the second mate's watch, a very heavy 
squall struck her. The mate jumped out on deck 
and called all hands, without saying anything to 
the 'old man.' We didn't get out of the fore- 
castle quick enough for him, and he and the third 
mate stood by the door on one side, and the second 
mate and boatswain on the other side of the deck, 
and every man as he came out got struck. 

" Jackson said to me, ' Hold on, Bangs, don't you 
go out till I do.' 

" Just then the mate looked in and said, ' Bangs 
you hurry, get out on deck ! ' 

' He's coming out when I do,' said Jackson. 

' Jackson,' said the mate, ' when you're ready 



298 ON BOARD THE EOCKET. 

come out on deck, and he went away. He never 
tried to impose on Jackson, and I thought I'd keep 
close to him to secure my own safety. As the 
third mate struck one of the sailors, the man drew 
his sheath-knife and cut him slightly. Then there 
was a race. The man ran aft and the third mate 
after him. Away they went around the poop and 
forward again, until the third mate tumbled over a 
man that the second mate had knocked down, and 
so lost the chase. 

" When Jackson and I got out there was a general 
fight going on ; some of the watch on deck had 
pitched in, and belaying-pins and handspikes were 
flying round at a lively rate. The ' old man 'got 
on deck in the midst of all this, and I guess he 
thought the Old Nick was let loose, or else his 
officers had gone crazy. The man at the wheel 
had run her off before the wind to save the sails, 
but there hadn't been the first thing clone about 
taking in anything. 

' Haul down that main-topmast studding-sail,' 
shouted the captain ; for the tack had parted and 
the sail was blowing all to pieces. 

"The fighting stopped now, I hardly know how. 
But several of the sailors were 'ended over' on 
deck with broken heads, and some of us were at 
the main-hatch keeping clear of the ' muss.' I be- 
lieve the rest gave it up and ran forward of the 
foremast. 

" The ' old man ' kept singing out his orders, and 



A WILD SHIP, 299 

at last the mate went aft and had some words with 
him, while we went to work and saved the pieces. 
The man at the wheel said the mate cursed the 
' old man ' all up in a heap, and told him to go 
below'and he'd look out for the ship, and after a 
little jaw, the captain backed down and went into 
the cabin. We blew away a lot of sails that night ; 
one topmast and two topgallant stu'n'sails, a flying- 
jib, main-topmast staysail, fore royal, and broke off 
the fore-topmast stu'n'sail-boom, which tore an 
awful big hole in the foresail. I guess if the 
owner knew how much that fight cost him he 
would be still more of a sailors' friend. I never 
could quite account for the officers not taking in 
sail sooner, unless it was they had been drinking. 

_" Besides having all hands, we used to be kept 
going all night long in the watch on deck, and 
after we got round the Cape into the south-east trades 
we had to work every minute, either doing neces- 
sary duty, or else performing military drill with 
handspikes, or something of that sort. Night 
times our principal work was polishing the iron 
belaying-pins and eye-bolts, for when we went into 
' Frisco ' every piece of iron-work about deck 
shone like silver. We all had our stations rub- 
bing the iron with our sheath-knives, and every 
half hour, when the bell struck, we had to call out 
like sentinels. This is the way it would go : 
First, the man on the forward house, who was 
polishing the cook's stove-pipe, would sing out : 



300 ON BOAED THE ROCKET. 

' Cook's stove-pipe, one bell and all's well ! ' Then 
would come, ' Starboard main-topmast staysail 
sheet iron belaying-pin, one bell and all's well ; ' 
' starboard eye-bolts main-rigging ; ' ' strap of main- 
topsail halyard block ; ' and so on. When all the 
workmen had sung out, you'd hear, ' Starboard 
handspike gangway sentinel, one bell and all's 
well ; ' and then the port side the same. These 
were two men that had to walk with shouldered 
handspikes on the bridges that went from the top 
of the after-house to the boat's gallows. At the 
last the mate would hail the skysail-yard, and a 
voice would come down, ' Man in the moon, one 
bell and all's well.' This would be some unlucky 
chap who was lowest down in the mate's good 
graces, but got kept highest up in the air. 

" That was the way every half hour at night 
when we were not pulling and hauling. You 
wouldn't think men would stand such nonsense ? 
I assure you they did though, and they didn't dare 
to growl even in the forecastle, for there was some 
one prowling about outside, pretty often, listening 
to what was said ; and if a man growled he was 
very apt to get licked next watch. The second 
mate gave one man an awful thrashing, for no 
other reason I believe than because he overheard 
him saying in his watch below, ' This is a humbug- 
ging old workhouse.' 

" There were lots of other moves they put up 
with. There were five or six men in our watch 



A WILD SHU 5 . 801 

that didn't know much., and the mate took a par- 
ticular fancy to hazing them. One -morning he 
came forward with some canvas for fools' caps, and 
made these men sew them in their watch be- 
low. Then he took some empty flour barrels, 
knocked the heads out, and cut holes each side of 
the top. We all wondered what was to pay now, 
and at night we found out. He called these men 
aft, made them put on the fools' caps and dismount 
one of the guns that stood by the after-hatch. 
Then each man got into a barrel and ran his arms 
through the holes, so that he had a kind of wooden 
shirt on. The mate made a rope fast to the gun- 
carriage, and taking his seat, he made the men 
grab the rope and haul him fore and aft the deck. 
He sat on the carriage, holding a long stick with a 
sail-needle in the end, with which he pricked up 
all the men he could reach, wherever the barrels 
didn't protect them, and he cursed the re'st in a 
way that hurt most as bad." 

" Mr. Bangs, didn't the captain have anything 
to say to all this ? " I asked. 

" Not that I know of. I believe it just suited 
him. He didn't do any fighting himself, but he'd 
get on top of the house and everlastingly curse 
us." 

" Did you ever get struck ? " I asked. 

" No sir." 

"I suppose not," said I. " I never heard a man 



802 ON BOAED THE ROCKET. 

tell a yarn yet about a wild ship, but he alwaya 
went clear himself." 

" But it's a fact," said the second mate, " Bill 
Holmes and I were about the only ones in the crew, 
except Jackson, that didn't get a rap on the head^ 
before the ship got to ' Frisco.' I expect we got 
spared because we were Yankee boys, but I came 
pretty near catching it once or twice. 
- " Some of the men were shamefully beaten for 
no cause whatever, except that they were good- 
natured Dutchmen. The mate used to fight with 
a belaying-pin, or else use his fists, but the second 
and third mates always carried brass knuckles in 
their pockets, and when they cut a man's face open 
it sometimes made an ugly sore. But the fighting 
didn't worry me as much as the blackguardism, 
for sometimes we'd go along a few days without a 
blow being struck. There was no let up, though, 
to bad words. Every order was followed up with 
oaths and vile language. All the officers from 
mate to boatswain' were tarred with the same 
brush, and when all hands were on deck shorten- 
ing sail, or tacking ship, I don't believe hell could 
have furnished worse talk. I often wondered 
what Mr. Jones would have thought if he could 
have dropped down aboard, and Bill Holmes used 
to say that he thought Mr. Jones would have done 
service to the cause of humanity if he'd taken a 
little pains to pick out a decent captain and mate 



A WILD SHIP. * 803 

to oversee his sailors in the ' Bloodhound,' in 
addition to his speech-making. 

" We had a quick passage of one hundred and 
five days, but we didn't get to Frisco any too 
soon to suit us, and we all cleared out bag and 
baggage as soon as the ship got to the wharf. 

u The ship anchored in the stream first ; the 
mate got a boatman to take him across the Bay, 
and he hid up country somewhere for awhile, to 
keep clear of the police. Then he got aboard of 
a ship, just as she was going out of the harbor, 
and went second mate of her over to China. 

" When we hauled into the wharf on a Sunday 
afternoon, there were about a thousand people 
down to see ' the blood boat ' as they called her, 
for the boarding-house runners had reported her 
character. The men got out warrants against the 
officers, but none of them were arrested, for. they 
kept out of sight for awhile and the sailors all had 
a good drunk, and what didn't go up to the mines 
were all shipped off again in less than ten days, 
and the affair blew over. 

" The next I heard of Clarkson he was mate of 
the ship " Fantail " with Capt. Harry Saunders, 
and went from Boston to Frisco in her. One day 
he punished the 'galoots' by making them jump 
overboard in a calm, and straddle a long plank 
made fast at one end by a rope from the ship. 
He had made them some paddles and they had to 
work them as though they were towing the ship 



304 Ott BOAUD THE ROCKET. 

ahead. Another time he lashed six of them, head 
and heels together, laid them along the deck in a 
line, lashed the heels of the last one to a ringbolt 
and putting a rope around the shoulders of the 
first one he took it to the capstan and made some 
of the sailors heave taut till the poor fellows on 
the stretch cried out blue murder. 

" Clarkson could always get more wages from the 
religious shipowners of Boston than any mate sail- 
ing out of the port ; he was considered such a 
smart officer. 

" They complain that there are no American sea- 
men to man our ships, and if the truth were known 
it would be found that the decent lads are driven 
out of the service, in disgust, b}^ the brutality of 
the officers, or if they get through the forecastle 
they find it useless to become officers unless they 
are qualified to be prize-fighters. The boys on 
Cape Cod are going into stores in the cities, or on 
to farms out West, instead of going to sea as they 
used to do. 

" I've often wished I could have a word with 
Mr. Jones about that voyage. I don't profess to 
love sailors much and I think sometimes that the 
better you treat them the worse they are. But if 
a man really wants to do them good, I should think 
he would do it at sea as well as on shore." 

" Rather," I said, " he should do more at sea 
than on shore. A sailor spends three-fourths of 
his life on board ship and, if one wishes to subject 



BOAEDING A VESSEL. 305 

him to good influences, it would seem reasonable 
to bring them to bear upon him where he passes 
most of his time. But Mr. Jones' style seemed to 
be to build bethels and homes for him to benefit 
by in the two weeks he is on shore, and then ]eave 
him for months in entire neglect to hear only 
curses and blackguardism, and suffer tyranny. 

" Besides, a sailor is more open to good impres- 
sions at sea than he is ashore. There, his mind is 
full of novelties and pleasures and has little room 
fbr good counsels, but on board ship in a long 
dreary voj'age, he reflects upon his past life, sees 
his follies and is disposed to make resolutions of 
reform/' 

"Well," said I, " that yarn seems to have raised 
the wind ; there appears to be a light air on the 
port-quarter. You may square in the yards." 

The second mate assured me so positively that 
his story was true, that I wrote it out while fresh 
in my memory, word for word as he told it. 

The last day of the " doldrums " brought about 
an event which had a great effect in reviving o in- 
spirits. In the morning we made a ship ahead, 
bound the same way, and at noon we caught up 
with her and spoke her. It was the " Renown," 
from Calcutta bound to New York, ninety days 
out. After dinner we spied a sail on our starboard 
bow bound to the southward. She slowly drew 
down towards us and at two o'clock we saw a boat 
put off from the " Renown " to board her. It was 



306 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

now nearly calm and I thought I would imitate 
the example. So our quarter-boat was lowered, 
and the mate and four men pulled away towards 
the stranger. They reached her in about an hour 
and at four o'clock were again on board, with a 
large roll of Boston newspapers, and what^was 
still better in the sailors estimation, a few pounds 
of tobacco. The mate reported her to be the 
bark " Nonantum," from Boston, bound to Buenos 
Ayres, twenty-six days out. He said the cap- 
tain was in a' dreadful stew about falling to lee- 
ward of Cape St. Roque. He had only had E. S. 
E. winds in place of north-east trades and had 
been unable to gain any longitude. Now he ex- 
pected nothing less thai* a fortnight's dead beat. • 
This had not put him in very good humor, and our 
men were told by his sailors that one of- the crew 
had just upset a tar-bucket on deck, and the " old 
man " had been making the mate clean it up him- 
self. The mate said the captain had his wife 
aboard and that she was cross-eyed and " as homely 
as a hedge-fence," but for all that he enjoyed mak- 
ing his best bow to her, and asking her how she 
liked going to sea, which he said was the only 
polite speech he could think of. 

"What a little world a ship is," I thought. 
" There they are in that bark shut up by them- 
selves and engrossed with their own concerns as 
though there were nothing and nobody else in ex- 
istence. They have their trials and growls and 



READY FOE POET. 307 

disagreements, just as we do and as the " Renown'' 
does, but each of us as isolated as is one star from 
another. "Well, poor fellow, I hope he'll fetch by 
St. Roqu.e ! " 

There were fifteen newspapers in the bundle, 
and for the next week we all took something of a 
vacation from our little world and enjoyed a view 
of the larger one. A multitude of topics were 
discussed both aft and forward, and had a good 
effect in stimulating our minds, and diverting our 
thoughts from their well-worn channels, in which 
they were moving with but a sluggish drift. 

The same evening that we boarded the bark, the 
north-east trades came in a squall, and started us 
again on our homeward course. They brought 
with them also a more bracing air, which had a 
great effect in restoring the elasticity of our spirits. 
On we sped, averaging two hundred miles 'a day 
until we reached lat. 26° N. in Ion. 65° W., where 
the trades left us and the variable winds of the 
" horse latitudes " set in. 

The bark was now in fine order. She had been 
tarred down, painted inside and out, and her 
masts and yards were all scraped bright and had 
received good coats of oil and varnish. The yards 
we had scraped in Padang when the sails were un- 
bent, but the masts were done on the passage. We 
all declared she looked as fine as a new fiddle. 
But there was still plenty of work to be done in the 
way of small jobs, and in keeping in order what 



308 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

was finished, though the main work being com- 
pleted we all felt easier in mind and more pleased 
to see her move rapidly towards port. The sailors 
were very lively and every occasion was seized for 
a song at their work. 



CHAPTER XII. 

SATLOES' SONGS. 

" Odd's life! must one swear to the truth of a song ." 

— Matthew Pry or. 

THE songs of the sea offer a field for research, 
and one who could trace the origin and use 
of some of them would doubtless discover inter- 
esting, romantic histories. No information can be 
obtained from sailors themselves on this point. 
No one knows who their favorite " Reuben Ranzo " 
was, or whether "Johnny Boker" ever did what 
he is so often requested to " do," nor can any one 
say more concerning the virtues and vices of 
" Sally Brown " than is declared in song. 

Sailors' songs may be divided into two classes. 
First, are the sentimental songs sung in the fore- 

3°9 



310 OK BOARD THE ROCKET. 

castle, or on the deck in the leisure hours of the 
dog-watch, when the crew assemble around the 
fore-hatch to indulge in j^arns and music. Dibdin's 
songs, which the orthodox sailor of the last half 
century was supposed to adhere to as closely as 
the Scotch Presbyterian to his Psalter, are falling 
into disuse, and the negro melodies and the popu- 
lar shore songs of the day are now most frequently 
heard. The second class of songs is used at work, 
and they form so interesting a feature of life at 
sea, that a sketch of that life would be incomplete 
without some allusion to them. These working 
songs may be divided into three sets : 

First, those used where a few strong pulls are 
needed, as in boarding a tack, hauling aft a sheet, 
or tautening a weather-brace. "Haul the Bow- 
line," is a favorite for this purpose. The shanty- 
man, as the solo singer is called, standing up 
"beforehand," as high above the rest of the crew 
as he can reach, sings with as many quirks, varia- 
tions and quavers as his ingenuity and ability can 
attempt, " Haul the bow-line, Kitty is my darling;" 
then all hands join in the chorus, " Haul the bow- 
line, the bowline haul" shouting the last word 
with great energy and suiting action to it by a 
combined pull, which must once be witnessed by 
one who desires an exemplification of " a long 
pull, a strong pull, and a pull altogether." This 
seldom fails to make the ropes " come home." 



SAILOES' SONGS. 



an 



HAUL THE BOW-LINE. 




Haul the bow-line, Kit-ty is my dar-ling; 

Chorus. 



— \- 



^ 0— 



Haul the bow -line, the bow -line haul. 



Then the song is repeated with a slight change 
in words, " Haul the bow-line, the clipper ship's a 
rolling," &c, and next time perhaps, " Haul the 
bow-line, our bully mate is growling." 

Great latitude is allowed in the words and the 
shantyman exercises his own discretion. If he be 
a man of little comprehension or versatility, he 
will say the same words over and over, but if he 
possesses some wit, he will insert a phrase alluding 
to some peculiarity of the ship, or event of the 
time, which will cause mouths to open wider and 
eyes to roll gleefully, while a lively pull follows 
that rouses the sheet home and elicits the mate's 
order " Belay ! " A good shantyman is highly 
prized, both by officers and crew. His leadership 
saves many a dry pull, and his vocal effort is be- 
lieved to secure so much physical force, that he is 
sometimes allowed to spare his own exertions and 
reserve all his energies for the inspiriting shanty. 



812 ON BOAftD THE ROCKET. 

Another common song is : — 

HAUL AWAY, JOE, 






-N— N- 



^d 



~N 



zte^lfejV:]:: 



*-j=l==H: 



M5q 



Way, haul a- way.; ; haul away, my Eo - sey. 

.Chorus. /?S 



"N fcr 



\ \- 



:fc 



-J&L 



=*==} 



S 



Way, haul a - way j 0, haul a - way, Joe. 
And another : — 



JOHNNY BOKER. 




** 



Oh clo,my Johnny Boker,Come rock and roll me 

Chorus. 



~^\- 







it 












-&-W 


1 £ 


s 



& 9 

g ^ ver, Do, my Johnny Bo - ker ? do. 



In both of these, the emphasis and the pull come 
at the last word of the chorus : " Joe " and " do," 
as they end the strain, put a severe strain on the 
rope. 

In the second set of working songs, I would 



sailors' songs. 



313 



place those that are used in long hoists, or where 
so large a number of pulls is required that more 
frequent exertion must be used, than is called for 
by the first set, lest too much time be occupied. 
The topsail halyards call most frequently for these 
songs. One of the most universal, and to my ear 
the most musical of the songs, is " Reuben Ranzo." 
A "good shantyman, who with fitting pathos re- 
counts the sorrows of "poor Reuben " never fails 
to send the topsail to the masthead at quick notice, 
nor to create a passing interest in the listener to 
the touching melody : — - 

REUBEN RANZO. 



Chorus. 




Oh,poor Reuben Ranzo, Ranzo, boys,Ranzo , 




/OS 



1 — i- 



-H 1 1- 



-i£. 



- i-d — g)- 




0h ; poor Reuben Ran-zo, Ranzo, boys, Ranzo ! 



Oh, Reuben was no sailor, 

Chorus, and repeat with chorus. 
He shipped on board of a whaler, 

Chorus, &c. 
He could not do his duty, 

Chorus, &c. 
The captain was a bad man, 

Chorus, &o. 
He put him in the rigging, 

Chorus, &c. 
He gave him six and thirty, 

Chorus, &c. 
0h ; poor Reuben Ranzo. 

Chorus, &o. 



314 



ON BOABD THE ROCKET. 



In this song the pulls, are given at the first word 
" Ranzo " in the chorus, ' sometimes at its next 
occurrence in addition. 

Of all the heroines of deck song Sally Brown's 
name is most frequently uttered, and a lively pull 
always attends it. She figures in several of these 
songs; one has as its chorus " Shantyman and 
Sally Brown." But it is used more frequently, I 
think, in connection with the song : — 

BLOW, MY BULLY BOYS, BLOW. 







-I K- 



-Q— 1— -Lt-— 1 



Oh, Sal - ly Brown's a bright mu-lat- to; 

Chorus. 



£ 



si- 



^ 



-&~^ 



1: 



-rt- 



-&- 



t 



Blow, boys, blow! Oh, she drinks rum 

Chorus. /Ts 



3E= 



; fr- 






~K- 



-- 1— t- 



il-i 



and chews to-bac-co, Bloiv, my bully boys, blow! 

Oh, Sally Brown's a Creole lady, 

Chorus, and repeat with chorus. 
Oh, Sally Brown, I long to see you, 

Chorus, &c; 
Oh, Sally Brown, I'll ne'er deceive you. 

Chorus, &c. ' 



It will be noticed that neither rhyme nor senti- 



SAILORS SONGS. 



315 



ment lias much place in these songs. Each line is 
usually repeated twice, even if there be a rhyme 
impending, for the shantyman's stock must be care- 
fully husbanded. 

A favorite and frequently used song, in which 
Bonaparte's fortunes are portrayed in a manner 
startling to the historian, as well as to those who 
may have the fortune to hear it sung at any time, 
is : — 



JOHN FBANCOIS.* 



/T\ 




Oh, Bo-ney was a war-rior, A-way, bey way ! 



- ¥■ M jeF^ 



-0-J 



0h ; Bo - ney was a war - rior, John Fran-cois. 

0h ; Boney went to Eoo-shy, 

Chorus. 
Oh, Boney went to Proo-shy, 

Chorus. 
He crossed the Eocky Mountains, 

Chorus. 
He made a mistake at Waterloo, 

Chorus. 
He died at Saint Helena. 

Chorus, 

* Pronounced Frans-war. 



316 



01ST BOARD THE ROCKET. 



Where Tommy actually proceeded to when he 
went " a high low " nobody knows, but the fact is 
related with continual gusto nevertheless : — 



TOMMY'S GONE, A HIGH LOW 

-i \ fv 




H\- 



-^— - 



My Tom - my's gone and I'll go, too ; 

orus. 



LI Chorus 




~p |- 1— 



Hur-rah, you high low, 

U Cho nis. 

IT — 1\ — p — N- -)-| — 1 



& — -H~~ 



H— 



!V 1 1- 

H — Q — 0- 



For with-out Tom- 

■-V— |--r--\ fV~ 

1- 

-Q- 



SE 

-£?— 



my I can't do. My Tommy's gone a high loiv. 

My Tommy's gone on the Eastern Shore, 

Chorus. 
My Tommy's gone to Baltimore, 

Chorus. 

A person who knows a little of geography can 
tend Tommy around the world according to his 
own discretion. 

One of the best illustrations of the absolute 
nothingness that characterizes the words of these 
songs, is given by the utterances attending the 
melody called " Shanadore," which probably means 
Shenandoah, a river in Virginia. I often have 
heard such confusing statements as the follow- 



ing 



SAILORS SONGS. 
SHANADORE. 



317 




Sha - na - (lore's a roll - ing riv - er, 

CJiorus. 



-fr—*KT—*K- 






£ 



-@ ! Q± 



_P — p — p — | — 



Hur-rah, you roll -iDg riv - er. Oh,Sha-na-dore's 

Chorus. 



V 



■-N H 



— N — 



~N- 



A— 



a roll - ing riv- er, Ah hah, I'm bound 



--N- \- 



=J 



* I* 

a - way o'er the wild Mis - sou - ri. 

Shanadore's a packet sailor, 

Chorus. 
Shanadore's a bright mulatto, 

Chorus. 
Shanadore I long to hear you 

Chorus. 



35 



and so the song goes on, according to the ingenuity 
of the impromptu composer. 

Sailors are not total abstainers as a rule, and 
one would suspect that a song like "Whiskey 
Johnny " might find frequent utterance ; — 



318 



ON BOAED THE ROCKET. 



WHISKEY JOHNNY. 



-4- 1 =1 4- 

Whis-key is 

Chorus. 



E 1 ? 

the 







QeSeJ 



life of 



z:x=j: 

man, 



■i I— 



Whis - hey John - ny. We'll drink our whis - 

Chorus. 




key when we can, Whis-key for my John-ny. 

I drink whiskey, aud my wife drinks gin, 

Chorus. 
And the way she drinks it is a sin. 

Chorus. 
I and my wife cannot agree, 

Chorus. 
For she drinks whiskey in her tea. 

Chorus. 
I had a girl, her name was Lize, 

Chorus. 
And she put whiskey in her pies. 

Chorus. 
Whiskey's gone and I'll go too, 

Chorus. 
For without whiskey I can't do. 

Chorus. 



SATLOES SONGS. 



319 



Another popular song is : — 



KNOCK A MAN DOWN. 




fcifiii 



=f 



7?\ Chorus. 



3ese^= 



I wish I was in Mo - bile Bay, Way, hey, 

— n 



-A — A — N" 



--\- 



=£ 



-N- 



=J 



knock a man down. A-roll-ing cot-ton night and day. 

Chorus. 



"At — !V 



This is the time to knock a man down. 



The words already quoted will enable a person 
to sing this and nearly all the songs of this set. 
He can wish he was in every known port in the 
world, to whose name he can find a rhyme. If 
New Orleans was selected, he would add, " Where 
Jackson gave the British beans." At " Boston 
city," his desire would be, "a-walking with my 
lovely Kitty." At " New York town," he would 
be, "a-walking Broadway up and down," or at 
Liverpool he would finish his education, " a-going 
to a Yankee school." 

The third set of working songs comprises those 
used at the pumps, capstan and windlass, where 



320 



ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 



continuous force is applied, instead of the pulls at 
intervals, as when hauling on ropes. Many of the 
second set of songs are used on such occasions, 
but there are a few peculiar to this use and of such 
are the following : 



EIO GRANDE. 




/?\ Chorus. 



AA- 






mm 



=3=3 



I'm bound a-way this ve-ry day. Oh, you Ei-o ! 

— N- 1— A 







~A~~^ _ 



iJ — i — & ->— & »-e — i 

I'm bound a-way this ve-ry day, I'm bound for the 

/?\ Chorus. 

A 




=:=*^3 



--K- V- 



=P= 



N- 



-a- 



Ei - o Grande. And a - way you Ei-o! Oh, vou 

— jV 1 pr— |~i N— N— r : — A~i 



A~ A Nr— }- 



Ei - o, I'm bound a - way this ve 

A 



A-A 



^AA 



3===3 



A-A- 



a-j: 



=t= 



— •— ^ 



eSIA 



ry day, I'm bound for the Ei-o Grande. 



sailors' songs. 321 

PADDY, COME WOEK ON" THE RAILWAY 



ES 



5 



-\ N- 



-N- 



-N- 



In eigh - teen hun-dred and six - ty three, 



— \ — ; \— 

.-Q 1 |_6?-J_^_,J. 



— N — r 



:^_ 






I came across the stormy sea. My dung'ree breech- 

CJiortis. 



--V 



~N- 



m 



— N~ 



EQES3 



es I put on To work up-on the rail - way, 



/r\ 



:=]=q: 



:fetzfcd±=fc 



£~j: 



~V 



3 



^ "ST l^ ^ 

the rail - way, To work up- on the rair - way. 



-\ — iy 



-t 



*=t 



Oh, poor Pad-dy, come work on the rail- way. 



Many other songs might be named, some of 
which, peculiar to the Liverpool packets, are of a 
rowdy nature. 

One cannot but regret that a more rational set 
of words has not been introduced to this service of 
song. A sphere offers for some philanthropic poet 



822 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

to provide a more elevating style of composition. 
On the old theory, the ballad-maker may accom- 
plish more reform than the law-giver. 

In addition to these songs are the unnameable 
and unearthly howls and yells that characterize the 
true sailor, which are only acquired by years of sea 
service. There is the continuous running solo of 
" way-hey he, ho, ya," &c, &c, accompanying the 
hand-over-hand hoisting of jibs and staysails. 
Then for short " swigs " at the halyards, we have 
such utterances as " hey lee, ho Up, or 7/w," the 
emphasis and pull coming on the italicized sylla- 
bles on which the voice is raised a tone. Then 
comes the more measured "singing out," for the 
long and regular pulls at the " braces." Each 
sailor has his own " howl " peculiar to himself, but 
fortunately only one performs at a time on the 
same rope. The effect, however, when all hands 
are on deck at a time, and a dozen ropes are pulled 
on at once, is most suggestive of Babel. One 
learns to recognize the sailors' method of singing: 
when lying in his berth in the cabin he can tell 
what man is leading and by the measure of his 
cadence can judge what class of ropes is being 
pulled. He thus can often divine the changes of 
wind and weather without going on deck. The 
wakeful captain with nerves harrassed by contrary 
winds will recognize the hauling in of the weather 
braces by the cry, and with only this evidence of a 
fair wind will drop off into the slumber he so 



BULLY OE COAX. 823 

greatly needs. At other times lie will be impelled 
to go on deck by the evidence that the outcries 
betoken the hauling of clew-lines and buntlines at 
the approach of a threatening squall. By atten- 
tion to these and other sounds, and the motions of 
the vessel, an experienced mariner knows the con- 
dition of affairs above deck without personal 
inspection. 

The songs of the sea, as I have said, invite at- 
tention and research, and I shall be glad if this 
brief sketch may incite another to more thorough 
investigation. 

How do you get along with your sailors ? is a 
question often asked, to which I will now endeavor 
to give a practical answer. The first captain that 
I went to sea with remarked to a gentleman in my 
hearing: "If it were not for sailors it would be 
only a pleasure to go to sea. 5 ' Many a time have 
I heard this echoed since and perhaps have re- 
peated it myself. No one has ever suggested how 
to do without sailors, so the most rational question 
is, How shall we manage them ? The only ap- 
proach to a quarrel on this passage was with ' ; Lit- 
tle Hans," a diminutive Swede, who was very 
great in temper and irritability. He was ordered 
to do some work, but pleaded illness in excuse. 
Some passionate words ensued, as the mate doubted 
his sincerity, but in the end Little Hans made most 
ample apologies and confessed with tears what a 
bad temper he had. 



324 ON BOARD THE EOCKET. 

There must be these frictions on shipboard. 
The}* occur in every vessel. They cannot be pre- 
vented entirely, and the only question is how to 
deal with them. Shall authority be maintained on 
the instant by the assertion of brute force, or shall 
the man by patient, judicious, but firm treatment 
be in time subdued. The latter is the course I 
advocate. It involves momentary mortification 
and great self-control, but gives more abiding 
peace and great self-satisfaction. 

Who overcomes by force 
Hath but half o'ercome his foe. 

An officer once said to me, " There are only two 
ways to treat sailors ; you must either bully them 
or coax them." Accepting this definition of my 
theorizings I would say : 

" By all means, coax them ! " 

But our success in controlling the men was not 
due alone to the method of discipline adopted. In 
many ways they were made to feel that a friendly 
spirit existed towards them, and that a desire to 
benefit them ran through all the rules and customs 
of the ship. Some of the methods I have tried 
successfully are the following : Saturday afternoons 
were given up to the crew as a time for mending 
clothes and cleaning themselves, and on Sunday 
morning when called aft to attend religious ser- 
vices they had no excuse for not putting in a neat 



CLASSES AND LECTUEES. 325 

appearance. The effect of this was often notice- 
able in creating more cleanly habits, and I have re- 
peatedly been complimented upon the unusually 
good looks of my sailors when on shore or attend- 
ing services. Wednesday evenings a Bible Class 
was held, at which the men were encouraged to 
read aloud the passages in the Bible which they 
were directed to search out, illustrating the topic 
in hand. The valuable libraries furnished by the 
Seamen's Friend Society, with other reading mat- 
ter, were placed at the disposal of the crew. Fre- 
quently on Saturday evenings lectures were given 
upon matters of interest to the sailor, as, The- 
Winds, The Currents, The Stars, The Sea Serpent, 
&c. In the afternoons, when weather- permitted, 
the young men of the crew in their watch below 
attended a navigation class, and took the first les- 
sons in a science which many of them will prac- 
tice when commanding vessels in time to come. I 
never found that such familiarity bred contempt, 
for all this intercourse was dignified. On the con- 
trary it rather heightened their respect for the 
captain, as was evidenced by the remark of one 
after a lecture, " I tell you when a man sees what 
a head our old man's got, it makes him feel what 
a little pimple he's got on his own shoulders." 

I have narrated methods of control which I 
have used with tolerable success, but I am well 
aware that government cannot be reduced to an 
exact science. With the help of the best systems 



826 01ST BOARD THE rocket. 

some will fail to control those under them, and 
others from the simple character and energy of 
their natures, without extraneous aid, will com- 
mand the respect and obedience of those subject 
to them. 

While human nature is what it is there will ex- 
ist a conflict between service and power. As the 
mind and heart are elevated and renewed these 
conflicts will decrease, but it is only to a higher 
and purer sphere, where sin will not exist and 
where all is perfect as God is perfect, that we can 
look for continued and entire harmony. 

Lest my reader should be tempted to yawn at 
this rather prosy effusion, I append our artist's 
sketch of the result of such an indulgence on 
shipboard. 

When near the latitude of Bermuda, one after- 
noon when it was nearly calm, we spied a schooner 
ahead drifting toward us. Visions of Nova Scotia 
potatoes excited our enthusiasm; the boat was got 
ready and when the vessels were near each other, 
the mate, passenger and two sailors went off to 
board her in search of news and supplies. The 
passenger had on a new cap of white duck made 
in naval style, and his imposing appearance perhaps 
accounted for the trepidation of the captain of the 
schooner, who stood on deck in his stockings 
trembling, as though he might be fearing the attack 
of a pirate. When the mate politely presented 
my compliments and asked for a few potatoes, his 




The effects of a yawn. 



SCHOONER JANE. 329 

assurance returned and he was enthusiastic in his 
desires to serve us. 

The schooner was the " Jane " of Shelburne, 
Nova Scotia, ten days out for Barbadoes. The 
supplies obtained were salt-fish and a few potatoes. 
But the captain, in the kindness of his heart, sent 
me a jar of preserved wild strawberries gathered 
and prepared by his wife, which he repeatedly 
assured the mate were " real nice,*' and, as though 
he might not be believed, he turned to the man at 
the wheel and said, " Ain't the}^ John." They 
certainly proved deserving of his encomium. We 
got a little country newspaper, that gave a few 
items of news, and a " New York Ledger," which 
proved to be a year old. 

She reported a heavy gale two days before, 
when we had been in calm weather. 

Discussions of this event, the news obtained, 
and a salt-fish dinner enlivened a few days. 

The last Saturday afternoon of the passage, the 
decks were washed down early and at four o'clock 
all hands were called aft. The captain took his 
stand at the capstan and the crew sitting on boards 
laid upon deck-buckets, listened attentively to a 
temperance lecture, and some warnings and in- 
structions about the dangers of life on shore soon 
to be encountered. Several signed the pledge 
afterwards, " Old Brown " among them. 

The first sign of our approach to land was the 
meeting with some fifty schooners mackerel fishing, 



830 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

south of Nantucket Shoals. As we came among 
them one put his helm up, and running down on us 
till his bowsprit seemed nearly to touch us, he 
sheered alongside and shouted, " Cap'n, do you 
want some fish? " 

" Aye ! aye " ! I replied. 

Then the air was filled with mackerel aimed at 
my head by a half-dozen men, and some of them 
came near the mark. Three schooners in suc- 
cession paid us this compliment, and all hands 
had a good supper and breakfast of mackerel in 
consequence. 

We generally expect a gale when coming on the 
coast and always promote our fears by recalling 
the old rhyme : 

" If the Bermudas let you pass, 
Oh then beware of Hatteras ; 
If safely you get by Cape May 
You'll catch it sure in Boston Bay." 

This time our fears were not realized. 

We bent the chains and put the anchors in the 
shoes, and on a Friday evening were almost within 
range of the Highland Light when a dense fog set 
in and deferred our hope of seeing it. The wind 
was moderate from the southward and we rounded 
to every two hours for soundings, and then kept 
on the course. A man was stationed on the top- 
gallant forecastle with a fog horn, which he 
sounded vigorously, and now and then received 



FOG. 381 

similar responses from neighboring vessels. The 
blast of one horn continued to draw nearer until 
it seemed close by us, then we heard a dog bark- 
ing and a hoarse voice sounded . through the fog, 
" How are you steering ? " 

" No'th by west," said I. 

" I'm heading east south east," said the 
stranger. 

Then close alongside of us we saw a schooner. 

" How does Cape Cod bear ? " I asked. 

"Nor' nor' west thirty miles," replied the sldp- 
per, as his craft vanished in the fog. 

" Just agrees with the chronometer," said I to 
myself. " That's doing well." 

" Pretty soon came another approaching blast of 
the horn, and in time came the same question, 
" How are you steering ? " and a voice shouted, 
" Keep her to the no'th'ard and east' arc! ; I'm just 
going in stays." 

"Hard a-port," I shouted to the man at the 
wheel, and just as the ship's head began to answer 
to the helm, a cry sounded from right under our 
bow, " Hard a-starboard, or you'll run into me." I 
sprang to the wheel and lent the man a hand to 
shift the helm over, and then we saw a large three- 
masted schooner with her jibboom almost grazing 
our fore channels. 

" All right, Cap'n, you'll go clear ; I've got my 
jibs aback," shouted a cheery voice, and then he, 
too, drifted away into the darkness. 



832 ON BOARD THE ROCKET. 

In the morning the fog lifted and the wind came 
out dead ahead. Two pilot boats came running 
down from the Cape Ann shore, and the leading 
one, being intent on securing both our vessel and a 
ship to leeward, dropped a pilot in a " canoe " while 
sailing ten knots an hour, and sped on to the other 
ship, thus successfully cutting out her rival. The 
pilot pulled alongside of us, and we took both him- 
self and his boat on board. Many eager questions 

were asked, one of the first being, if the " F " 

had arrived ? We were told she had not, and we 
had the satisfaction of beating her eight days on 
the passage. All day we were beating up the Bay, 
and at 10 P.M. took a tow boat off Boston Light 
which soon brought us alongside Central Wharf, 
where we made fast early on a Sunday morning 
after ninety-three days passage from Padang. In 
the morning I stepped on to the wharf to take a 
survey from a new point of view of what had been 
my home for so many months. As I was standing 
near the stern I noticed some sailors belonging to 
the Revenue Cutter, sitting down with their backs 
toward me and their legs hanging over the edge of 
the wharf. They were discussing the looks of the 
vessel, and I heard one of them say, " I wouldn't 
want to go to sea in that bark. She must be a 
regular workhouse. Everything aboard of her is 
scraped bright from her trucks to her fenders. 
Just see how that royal-yard shines ! " 



PAYING OFF. 333 

I walked up to them and said : " Boys, does she 
look well?" 

" Yes," answered the one that had just spoken ; 
" a neater looking vessel than that never came into 
this harbor." 

"Well," said I, "her crew haven't lost a watch 
below the whole voyage." 

* " Oh ! that's a different thing then," said he ; 
" if a man has watch and watch he's got no right 
to complain. Of course he expects to work in his 
watch on deck." 

The next day the crew were paid off, all being 
sober except Murphy. I handed him his money 
and said, " Take good care of that and don't throw 
it away." Murphy was already well past a condi- 
tion to take care of anything. He had indulged 
in one good spree the night before, and was now 
what would be called " ugly drunk." His thick 
black hair was tossed about in confusion over his 
head, and his dark eyes fairly snapped with pas- 
sion. Holding his money in his clenched fist he 
brandished it aloft and said, " Cap'n, all that's go- 
ing for rum," and off he went with a waiting land- 
shark, who no doubt sent him to sea within a week, 
penniless and ragged. But everybody else was 
sober, and on the whole the crew made a very cred- 
itable appearance, so much so that it excited re- 
marks from many who saw them. 

As I went on shore I met the shipping master, 
old Capt. Harding. "Your crew make a good 



334 ON BOAED THE EOCKET. 

show for themselves to day," said he. " I never 
saw a more orderly set, or heard any crack their 
ship up quite so much. There was one man stand- 
ing by me while I was talking to a gentleman, and 
hearing me say something about the bark he put 
in his handspike and said he, ' That's the best ship 
that sails out of this port. The captain of her is 
a gentleman and a sailor and a Christian. "We 
obeyed him just out of the respect we had for him. 
There's nothing of the humbug about Mm. He 
does'nt go round the decks trying to scare up 
work just to haze men. The officers were good 
men, too. They've kept us at work pretty sharp, 
but we had watch and watch the whole time, 
south-east trades and all. She's in fine order and 
we did all the work up except to scrape the belay- 
ing pins. We had to let those go. I'm sorry we 
didn't have time to scrape them.' 1 " 

" After he went away the gentleman said, ' That 
sounds well, doesn't it ? That's better than broken 
heads and curses and lawsuits.' I told him I 
thought I knew all the ins and outs of a sailor, 
but it was something new to me to hear one regret 
he ' didn't have time to scrape the belaying-pins.' " 

The crew all went to the Sailors' Home, except 
Murphy, and behaved well. Old Brown was a 
well-known character in Boston, and I was told 
this was the first time he had ever kept sober in 
port. His friends were quite astonished at such 
good conduct. He went to San Francisco on his 



IN POET. 335 

next voyage, and T heard afterwards that the mate 
of the ship had selected him as a good man to 
" bully," he being quiet and inoffensive. He beat 
him and drove him about the decks in a way that 
completely disheartened him, and on reaching port 
he took to drinking again and was " beastly drunk " 
all the time he was on shore. 

In a few weeks the crew all scattered on differ- 
ent voyages, excepting four who -waited to sail 
again with me in another ship. I remember them 
with affectionate interest and am sure they hold 
fast a pleasant recollection of the days 

ON BOARD THE ROOKET. 



THE END. 



// 



rro Q tQOd 




111 iff 

m it 






■H 




